HC Deb 17 March 1975 vol 888 cc344-6W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the number of claimants in Wales penalised under the four-week rule for each year during which the rule was in operation.

Mr. Alec Jones:

The number of awards initially limited to four weeks in Wales was as follows:

1968 None
1969 None
1970 2,428
1971 3,380
1972 None
1973 1,176

Mr. Rifkind

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants in Scotland have been penalised under the four-week rule for each year during which the rule was in operation.

Mr. Alec Jones:

No awards were initially limited to four weeks in Scotland in any of the years 1968 to 1972; 125 were so limited in 1973.

COMPARISON OF STANDARD RATE OF RETIREMENT PENSION WITH
GROSS AND NFT AVERAGE EARNINGS* IN WALES
Retirement pension as a percentage of gross average earnings Net earnings after deducting tax and national insurance contributions Retirement pension as a percentage of gross average earnings
Year(October) Gross average earnings Single Person Married Couple Single Person Married Couple Single Person Married Couple
£ Per cent. Per cent. £ £ Per cent. Per cent.
1961 15.26 18.8 30.3 12.12 12.87 23.7 35.9
1962 16.20 17.7 28.5 12.78 13.53 22.5 34.2
1963 16.93 19.9 32.2 13.27 14.16 25.4 38.5
1964 18.04 18.7 30.2 13.98 14.88 24.1 36.6
1965 19.30 20.7 33.7 14.62 15.58 27.4 41.7
1966 20.09 19.9 32.4 15.11 16.06 26.5 40.5
1967 21.13 21.3 34.5 15.71 16.66 28.6 43.8
1968 22.91 19.6 31.9 16.87 17.82 26.7 41.0
1969 24.46 18.4 29.8 17.92 18.87 25.1 38.7
1970 27.93 17.9 29.0 19.93 21.04 25.1 38.5
1971 31.10 19.3 31.2 21.81 22.91 27.5 42.3
1972 35.61 19.0 30.6 26.17 27.21 25.8 40.1
1973 40.52 19.1 30.8 29.39 30.43 26.4 41.1
1974 47.55 21.0 33.6 32.95 34.48 30.3 46.4
* Average earnings of male adult, full-time, manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries as determined by the Department of Employment's regular October inquiry.

Mr. Robin F. Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will publish in the Official Report the net amount of adult male average earnings in Scotland for each October since 1948, or the longest convenient period, and the relationship of retirement pension for a single person and married couple to these earnings.