HC Deb 27 November 1978 vol 959 cc57-8W
Mr. Richard Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the value of family allowances, child tax allowances and child benefits for each year since 1948; and if he will express these data as percentage of (a) gross average earnings and (b) net average earnings.

Mr. Orme,

pursuant to his reply Official Report, 10th November 1978; Vol. 957, c. 378],gave the following information:

VALUE OF CHILD SUPPORT TO A FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN UNDER 11, AND ON AVERAGE EARNINGS*
1. 2. 3.
Year(October) Value of child support† Child support (Column 1)as percentage of average:
£ Gross earnings Net earnings
1948 0.68 9.9 10.2
1949 0.74 10.4 10.8
1950 0.70 9.3 9.7
1951 0.86 10.4 10.7
1952 0.92 10.8 10.6
1953 0.93 9.8 10.1
1954 1.00 9.8 10.1
1955 1.14 10.2 10.6
1956 1.26 10.6 11.0
1957 1.33 10.6 11.0

VALUE OF CHILD SUPPORT TO A FAMILY WITH TWO CHILDREN UNDER 11, AND ON AVERAGE EARNINGS*
1. 2. 3.
Year (October) Value of child support † Child support (Column 1) as percentage of average:
£ Gross earnings Net earnings ‡
1958 1.36 10.6 11.2
1959 1.31 9.7 10.2
1960 1.39 9.6 10.2
1961 1.45 9.5 10.3
1962 1.52 9.6 10.5
1963 1.69 10.1 11.0
1964 1.80 9.9 11.0
1965 1.97 101 11.3
1966 2.02 10.0 11.3
1967 2.10 9.8 11.2
1968 210 9.1 10.7
1969 2.10 8.5 10.0
1970 2.10 7.5 9.2
1971 2.63 8.5 10.3
1972 2.62 7.3 8.8
1973 2.59 6.3 7.8
1974 3.32 6.8 8.7
1975 3.86 6.5 8.6
1976 4.67 7.0 9.2
1977 4.89 6.7 8.8
1978 (to April) 5.87 7.3 9.7
* Average earnings of full.time male manual wage earners in manufacturing and certain other industries as determined by the Department of Employment's annual October enquiry and the monthly index of average earnings.
†Cash value of family allowances/child benefit and child tax allowances to the family on average earnings.
‡Net earnings equals gross earnings (Col. 2) minus tax (taking into account the value of child tax allowances, when appropriate) and national insurance contributions.

The table does not show the effect of the November 1978-April 1979 increases in the rates of child benefit which produce a real and significant improvement in child support.

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