§ Mr. Clemitsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, for 1950, 1955, 1960 and each year from 1965 to 1974, what were the figures for personal income per head per week as derived from National Income Blue Books, including taxes and national insurance contributions, and gross average industrial earnings for men aged 21 years and over, and, in amount and as a percentage of each of these two figures, what were the weekly rates of (i) 100 per cent. war pension, (ii) 40 per cent. war pension and industrial injury disablement pension, (iii) long-term sickness benefit or invalidity pension for a single person, and (iv) retirement pension for a single person.
§ Mr. O'Malley,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th June 1975; Vol. 893, c. 245–6], circulated the following information:
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TABLE 2 BENEFIT AS A PERCENTAGE OF WEEKLY PERSONAL INCOME PER HEAD OF POPULATION Weekly War pension in respect of ex-private 100 per cent. assessment War pension/Industrial disablement pension 40 per cent. assessment Invalidity benefit*/Retirement pension in respect of a single person Year (October) personal income per head of population Rate of benefit Benefit as percentage of personal income Rate of benefit Benefit as percentage of personal income Rate of benefit Benefit as percentage of personal income £ £ £ £ 1950 … … 4.17 2.25 5.40 0.90 21.6 1.30 31.2 1955 … … 5.79 3.38 58.3 1.35 23.3 2.00 34.5 1960 … … 7.73 4.25 55.0 1.70 22.0 2.50 32.3 1965 … … 10.63 6.75 63.5 2.70 25.4 4.00 37.6 1966 … … 11.33 6.75 59.6 2.70 23.8 4.00 35.3 1967 … … 11.85 7.60 64.1 3.05 25.7 4.50 38.0 1968 … … 12.71 7.60 59.8 3.05 24.0 4.50 35.4 1969 … … 13.56 7.60 56.0 3.05 22.5 4.50 33.2 1970 … … 14.94 8.40 56.2 3.35 22.4 5.00 33.5 1971 … … 16.48 10.00 60.7 4.00 24.3 6.00 36.4 1972 … … 18.56 11.20 60.3 4.48 24.1 6.75 36.4 1973 … … 21.40 12.80 59.8 5.12 23.9 7.75 36.2 1974 … … 25.37 16.40 64.6 6.56 25.9 10.00 39.4 *Invalidity benefit was introduced from 23rd September 1971. The figures for earlier years refer to sickness benefit and retirement pensions.