§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the written answer to the hon. Member for Blaby on 21st March—Official Report, c. 520–1—if he will publish a similar table of net income and take-home pay for a married man on average earnings with one child under 11 years of age.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 17th April 1978], gave the following information:
The figures are as follows:
Average real weekly net income at January 1978 prices Average real weekly take-home pay excluding child benefit at January 1978 prices £ £ 1970–71 61.40 1971–72 62.90 1972–73 66.80 1973–74 67.50 1974–75 67.00 1975–76 63.50 1976–77 62.50 1977–78 (see Note 1 below) 62.10 61.10 1978–79 (see Note3 below) 64.70 62.30 NOTES.
1. Child benefit became payable for the first child in 1977–73; before then, take-home pay and net income were the same.
350W2. The figures are on the same basis as those given in the previous answer on 21st March—[Official Report, c. 520–1].
3. The figures for 1978–79 take account of the Budget proposals and the increase in child benefit announced for November 1978. Average earnings have been notionally estimated as follows: on the basis that in October 1977 a man on average earnings has not yet received an increase in the current pay round, it may be assumed that his earnings will rise by a further 10 per cent. to October 1978 in accordance with the Government's guideline. It is assumed that the retail prices index will rise by 7 per cent. over the same period.