§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will list the various amounts of unemployment benefits paid to the various types of stated recipients on 18th June, 1970; what these benefits were worth in purchasing power on this date compared with the stated date when they were last increased, allowing for the rise in the cost of living and the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £; and to what extent these benefits have fallen in purchasing power since 18th June, 1970 to the latest stated date;
(2) whether he will list the amount of the various percentage war disability awards as paid in cash on 18th June, 1970; what these pensions were worth in purchasing value on this date compared with the stated date when they were last increased, allowing for the rise in the cost of living and the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £; and to what extent these pensions have fallen in purchasing power since 18th June, 1970 to the latest convenient stated date;
(3) whether he will state the amount of pension for a single retired person and a married couple on 18th June, 1970; what these pensions were worth in purchasing value on this date compared with the stated date when they were last increased, allowing for the rise in the cost of living and the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £; and to what extent these pensions have fallen in purchasing power since 18th June, 1970, to the latest convenient stated date;
(4) whether he will give the amounts of the various benefits paid for sickness and industrial injuries as paid in cash on 18th June, 1970; what these benefits were worth in purchasing value on this date compared with the stated date when they were last increased, allowing for the rise in the cost of living and the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £ sterling; and to what extent these benefits have fallen in purchasing power since 18th June, 1970 to the latest convenient stated date;
(5) whether he will list the amount of family allowances as paid on 18th June, 1970; what these allowances were worth 350W in purchasing value on this date compared with the stated date when they were last increased, allowing for the rise in the cost of living and the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £ sterling; and to what extent these allowances have fallen in purchasing power since 18th June, 1970 to the latest convenient stated date.
§ Mr. DeanThe benefits mentioned were last increased in November, 1969, with the exception of family allowances, which were last increased in October, 1968. Following is the information, on the basis of the General Index of Retail Prices:
Standard Benefit Rate of Benefit Value in June 1970 Value in January 1971 At November, 1969 prices £ £ £ Flat-rate unemployment, sickness benefit and retirement pension for: Single person 5.00 4.77 4.54 Married couple 8.10 7.73 7.36 100 per cent. War disablement pension (other rates will be affected proportionately) 8.40 8.02 7.63 Industrial injury benefit for: Single person 7.75 7.40 7.04 Married couple 10.85 10.35 9.85 At October 1968 prices Family allowance for: Second child 0.90 0.81 0.77 Third and subsequent children 1.00 0.90 0.86