§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will compare, using the new rates of benefit announced in April, the total net weekly spending power of a man with a wife and three children under 11 years of age with weekly earnings of £25, with persons in similar family circumstances earning £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60, £65, £70 and £80 per week, assuming in all cases that previous earnings have moved in line with the DE earnings index over the past 21 months, and allowing for all relevant tax payments and repayments, for all possible welfare benefits and for rent and/or rate rebates, and including an element for expenses associated with going to work, in the following circumstances: for a week's work after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate and when unemployed after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate;
(2) if he will compare, using the new rates of benefit announced in April, the total net weekly spending power of a man with a wife and four children under 11 years of age with weekly earnings of £25, with persons in similar family circumstances earning £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60, £65, £70 and £80 per week, assuming in all cases that previous earnings have moved in line with the DE earnings index over the past 21 months, and allowing for all relevant tax payments and repayments, for all possible welfare benefits and for rent and/or rate rebates, and including an element for expenses associated with going to work, in the following circumstances: for a week's work after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate and when unemployed after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate;
(3) if he will compare, using the new rates of benefit announced in April, the total net weekly spending power of a man with a wife and two children under 11 years of age with weekly earnings of £25, with persons in similar family circumstances earning £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60, £65, £70 and £80 per 605W week, assuming in all cases that previous earnings have moved in line with the DE earnings index over the past 21 months, and allowing for all relevant tax payments and repayments for all possible welfare benefits and for rent and/or rate rebates, and including an element for expenses associated with going to work, in the following circumstances: for a week's work after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate and when unemployed after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate;
(4) if he will compare, using the new rates of benefit announced in April, the total net weekly spending power of a man with a wife and one child under 11 years of age with weekly earnings of £25, with persons in similar family circumstances earning £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60, £65, £70 and £80 per week, assuming in all cases that previous earnings have moved in line with the DE earnings index over the past 21 months, and allowing for all relevant tax payments and repayments for all possible welfare benefits and for rent and/or rate rebates, and including an element for expenses associated with going to work, in the following circumstances: for a week's work after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate and when unemployed after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate;
(5) if he will compare, using the new rates of benefit announced in April, the total net weekly spending power of a married couple with weekly earnings of £25, with persons in similar family circumstances earning £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60, £65, £70 and £80 per week, assuming in all cases that previous earnings have moved in line with the DE earnings index over the past 21 months, and allowing for all relevant tax payments and repayments for all possible welfare benefits and for rent and/or rate rebates, and including an element for expenses associated with going to work, in the following circumstances: for a week's work after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate and when unemployed after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate;
(6) if he will compare, using the new rates of benefit announced in April, the total net weekly spending power of a single person with weekly earnings of 606W £25, with persons in similar family circumstances earning £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60, £65, £70 and £80 per week, assuming in all cases that previous earnings have moved in line with the DE earnings index over the past 21 months, and allowing for all relevant tax payments and repayments for all possible welfare benefits and for rent and/or rate rebates, and including an element for expenses associated with going to work, in the following circumstances: for a week's work after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate and when unemployed after 39 weeks at the appropriate rate;
(7) what increase in net weekly spending power defined as in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 10th June 1975, Official Report, c. 156, will be received by families with one, two, three and four children under 11 years of age now earning £25, £30, £35, £40, £45, £50, £55, £60 and £65 as a result of the new pay agreement with the trade unions, and as a result of the conditional tax changes announced in the Budget, taking into account the new rates of benefit announced in April together with changes in entitlement to benefit as a result of the wage increases.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave him on 26th April.—(Vol. 910, c.44–5.]
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will compare for the years 1939, 1946, 1956, 1966, and 1976, for a man with two children not over 11 years of age, earning 50 per cent., 100 per cent. and 200 per cent. of average manual earnings, the total value of child support, including family allowances as applicable, tax allowances after clawback and the value of provision in kind, at current prices, at constant prices, and as a percentage of average male manual earnings;
(1) if he will compare for the years 1939, 1946, 1956, 1966 and 1967, and for an unemployed man with two children not over 11 years of age, who previously earned 50 per cent., 100 per cent. and 200 per cent. of average manual earnings and whose earnings had moved in line with the DE earnings undex the total value of (a) unemployment benefit including earnings-related benefit only and 607W tax rebate, (b) flat-rate benefit only and (c) national assistance supplementary benefit, at current prices, at constant prices and as a percentage of average male manual earnings.
§ Mr. OrmeI regret that I am not satisfied that it would be justifiable to undertake the very considerable expenditure of time and effort that would be required to make the calculations for which the hon. Member has asked.