§ Mr.Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures comparing net weekly
COMPARISON OF NET WEEKLY SPENDING POWER OF FAMILIES ON SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT WITH THOSE RECEIVING TOPS TRAINING ALLOWANCE (a) When unemployed and receiving supplementary allowance Family type Supplementary allowance payable Child benefit Rent Rates Free school meals Free welfare milk Net weekly spending power £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Single person 21.75 — 5.30 1.95 — — 14.50 Married couple 30.80 — 5.30 1.95 — — 23.55 Married couple and 1 child (aged 3) 33.60 2.30 6.00 2.25 — 0.88 28.53 Married couple and 2 children (4 and 6) 36.65 4.60 6.30 2.35 1.25 0.88 34.73 Married couple and 3 children (3, 8, 12) 40.45 6.90 6.30 2.35 2.50 0.88 42.08 Married couple and 4 children (3, 8, 11, 16) 48.30 9.20 7.20 2.70 3.75 0.88 52.23
(b) When receiving a TOPS training allowance Family type Training allowance Child benefit Rent Rent rebate Rates Rate rebate Free school meals Free welfare milk Net weekly spending power £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Single person 25.70 — 5.30 31.0 1.95 1.14 — — 22.69 Married couple 34.80 — 5.30 3.54 1.95 1.29 — — 32.38 Married couple and 1 child 37.00 2.30 6.00 4.36 2.25 1.59 — — 37.00 Married couple and 2 children 39.20 4.60 6.30 4.94 2.35 1.78 1.25 — 43.12 Married couple and 3 children 41.40 6.90 6.30 5.34 2.35 1.91 2.50 — 49.40 Married couple and 4 children 43.60 9.20 7.20 6.28 2.70 2.25 3.75 0.88 56.06 Notes:
1. The figures relate only to the particular illustrative examples, and have no general validity.
2. It is assumed that, in married couple cases, the wife has no personal income—other than child benefit where appropriate—from earnings or social security benefits.
3. For (b) it is assumed that the trainee is living at home. In addition to the allowance shown, the trainee would receive travelling expenses and free midday meals—or an allowance in lieu—and possibly an earnings-related supplement based on previous earnings.
§ Mr.Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table comparing net weekly spending power for a man with two children aged 14 and 12 years, and using the same basic assumptions as in his reply
220Wspending power, defined as in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk North, 22nd November 1977, for each of a single person, a married couple and single-wage married couples with each of one, two, three and four dependent children, including teenage children (a) when they are unemployed and in receipt of supplementary allowance and (b) when they are on the training opportunities programme's sponsored training courses.
§ Mr.DeakinsThe information available is given in the table below, but it is not possible to distinguish between those married couples with a single wage and others.
to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North Official Report, 22nd November 1977, columns 683–90 (a) when he is working and earning £55 a week, (b) during the first two months of sickness or unemployment, and assuming that he stops work 221W during the twentieth week of the tax year and that his earnings have increased in line with the index of average earnings during the previous 18 months, (c) when he is unemployed and dependent on supplementary allowance, and (d) when he is on a training opportunities programme sponsored training course, first when he and secondly when he is not eligible for earnings-related supplement.
§ Mr.DeakinsThis information could not be provided without disproportionate cost.