Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of qualified children's allowance; the amount paid out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26183/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As a qualified child increase is considered to be a part of the relevant social welfare weekly payment to which it is attached, it is not normally presented as a separate cost. However, as of the end of June 2007, there were 253,433 full rate and 82,730 half rate qualified child increases in payment across the range of social welfare schemes, with an estimated annual cost of some €340 million.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the cross-Departmental practices and procedures in place to ensure that welfare recipients with benefits such as medical cards or differential rents are not disadvantaged by improvements in welfare rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26285/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities are responsible for determining rents payable under the differential rents scheme including the income to be assessed for this purpose, subject to broad principles laid down by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I understand that these guidelines recommend that no more than 15% of any increase in welfare income should be absorbed by an increase in rent. Around Budget time, my predecessors have, in recent years, written to the Minister of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government requesting him to remind local authorities of this. It is my intention to make a similar request this year.