§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in pursuance of the answer given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, will he now state the average increase in the net weekly spending power for (a) all families, and (b) married couples and (c) single householders, during 1977.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI regret that estimates for all families are not available. For a single person and a married couple without children on average earnings the 731W increase in net income between January 1977 and January 1978 was as follows:
Current prices £ per week January 1978 prices Single person 6.60 1.50 Married couple without children 7.60 2.30 Net income is gross income less tax and national insurance contributions. Average earnings are taken from the New Earnings Survey estimates of the average weekly earnings of full-time adult male workers in all occupations, manual and non-manual. The April 1976 and April 1977 figures have been updated by the monthly index of average earnings to give earnings figures for January 1977 and January 1978.
These figures do not of course take account of the Budget proposals for the year 1978–79.
§ Mr. Newtonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the percentage increase or fall in real net income between 197–71 and 1978–79 for a man on average earnings (a) if he is single, (b) if he is married with no children, (c) if he is married with two children aged under 11 years and (d) if he is married with two children aged under 11 and two aged between 11 and 16 years, using the assumptions set out in his reply to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson).—[Official Report, 17th April 1978.]
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.