§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the percentage rise in the long term supplementary benefit scale rate for (a) a single person and (b) a married couple since 1966 and the rise in the retail price index over the same period.
§ Mrs. Chalker(a) 426.7 per cent. (b) 430.3 per cent.
The retail price index—excluding housing costs—rose by 286.8 per cent. to November 1979.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the percentage rise in the supplementary benefit scale rates for (a) a single person, (b) a married couple, (c) a married couple with one child under 5 years, (d) a married couple with two children under 5 years, (e) a married couple with two children over 5 years but less than 11 years and (f) a married couple with two children over 11 years, since 1948; and if he will also list the rise in the retail prices index over the same period.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information relating to the ordinary scale rate is as follows:—
(a) 1,358 per cent.; (b) 1,385 per cent.; (c) 1,370 per cent.; (d) 1,358 per cent.; (e) 1,355 per cent.; (f) 1,379 per cent.;
The information at (f) assumes that both children were aged 11–12.
The corresponding increase in the retail prices index—excluding housing costs—up to November 1979 was 646.6.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will 606W publish figures showing supplementary benefit entitlement levels for a married couple with two children aged 8 and 12, and a married couple with four children aged 6, 8, 12 and 15 years, in April 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and the latest date for which the figures are available, as a percentage of gross and net earnings for male manual workers earning the mean of the lowest decile of male manual earnings.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information requested by my hon. Friend is not obtainable for years before 1970 and I regret that the remaining information could not be provided on a meaningful basis without disproportionate use of scarce staff resources.