HC Deb 22 March 1974 vol 870 cc209-11W
Mr. David Steel

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the gross amount of adult male earnings and the relationship of the supplementary benefit scale rate for a single householder, for a married couple without children, with two children and with four children, to these earnings for each year since 1948.

Mr. Robert C. Brown

The information requested is contained in the following table:

Mr. David Steel

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value of supplementary benefits, including rent, as a percentage of average earnings for each year since 1948, giving information for a single claimant, for married

ORDINARY SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT RATES (INCLUDINGRENT) AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE MANUAL WORKERS IN OCTOBER*
Married Persons
Year Single householder Without children With 2 children (both aged under 5) With 4 children (two aged under 5 and two aged 5–10)
1954 22.8 35.8 46.8 60.0
1955 22.3 35.0 46.0 59.0
1956 22.9 35.5 47.6 59.7
1957 20.0 34.0 44.6 56.9
1958 24.7 38.3 49.9 63.1
1959 25.5 40.0 52.0 66.1
1960 24.1 37.6 48.9 61.9
1961 24.7 38.1 49.5 62.6
1962 25.5 39.0 50.6 63.9
1963 26.7 40.7 52.5 66.3
1964 24.8 37.8 48.8 61.5
1965 27.3 41.6 53.4 67.2
1966 28.4 43.1 54.9 68.7
1967 28.9 43.7 55.7 69.7
1968 28.4 42.9 55.0 68.9
1969 27.6 41.7 53.3 66.6
1970 26.3 39.8 50.8 63.6
1971 26.9 40.5 51.8 64.7
1972 25.9 39.0 49.9 62.4
1973† 24.6 35.6 45.7 57.6
* Taken from the inquiries conducted by the Department of Employment.
†The percentages for 1973 are not fully comparable with those for earlier years, as the information is not yet available to calculate the provision for rent on the same basis.