§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is able to establish the net value of benefits actually received by way of take-home pay, and social wage benefits, by a married man with two young children earning the average industrial wage at (a) March 1974, (b) October 1974 and (c) at the latest date for which figures are available, each updated to the value of money at the latest date.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st November, 1977; Vol. 939, c. 536–7], gave the following information
Figures for take-home pay for a married man with two children not over 11, having the average earnings for full-time manual men, are given in the table below. As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 15th November, quantitative estimates of the benefits which different types of family derive from expenditure on the social wage are not available, except in the terms of the household analyses prepared by the Central Statistical Office, to which I made reference.
£ per week Take-home pay at September 1977 prices March 1974 … … 60.56 October 1974 … … 62.19 September 1977 … … 55.95
§ Mrs. Castleasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the disposable income before his April Budget of a single man, a childless married couple and a married man with two children under 11 years of age assuming a tax rate of 33 859W per cent., and that all were on average national earnings of £78.42; and what will be the disposable income in each case following the latest increase in personal allowances.
NET WEEKLY DISPOSABLE INCOME (a) Before the April 1977 Budget, but assuming a basic rate of 33% (b) After implementation of measures announced on 26th October £ £ Single man 52.70 53.43 Married couple without children 54.92 56.76 Married couple with two children aged under 11 59.40 61.65 The figures are based on gross weekly earnings of £7842, and disposable income for the married couple with two children includes family allowance in column (a) and child benefits in column (b).
The figures in column (a) have been calculated on the basis of the income tax rates and allowances in force for 1976–77 except that the basic rate has been taken as 33 per cent. National insurance contributions have been deducted from both columns.