Tory children’s minister’s David Johnston was left squirming on Friday after being forced to admit he did not know how much child benefit is.
Rishi Sunak has announced families earning six-figures will be allowed to keep some or all of their child benefit payments if the Conservatives win the election.
But in an interview with LBC’s Nick Ferrari this morning, Johnston was unable to answer the simple question of how much child allowance is worth.
“I’m afraid I don’t know. It’s actually not a department for education policy this, its department for work and pensions one and I’m afraid I don’t know,” he said.
A confused Ferrari replied: “Sorry, is your title not minister for children?
“And you don’t know what the child allowance is?”
Johnston told him: “Well, we don’t run the benefits, I’m afraid. You’re right, I should have found out before I came on here.”
Ferrari added: “So I have to tell you, as the minister for children, families and wellbeing, what child allowance is. What sort of job do you think you’re doing here, minister? Astonishing.”
The presenter had to tell the minister it was £25.60 for the first child and £16.95 pfor each additional child.