Mr. Vaneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the purchasing power of the present rate of unemployment benefit for a single man compares with that of the current rate in April, 1939, in view
144W
— 2-lb. 3-lb. 7-lb. 11-lb. 22-lb. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. United Kingdom to France … 3 6 — 4 6 6 3 9 6 France to United Kingdom … — 4 8 6 4 8 4 13 10 United Kingdom to U.S.A. … — 3 3 6 0 9 9 17 0 U.S.A. to United Kingdom … — 3 0 7 0 11 0 22 0 United Kingdom to Brazil … 6 0 — 8 3 12 0 18 3 Brazil to United Kingdom … 7 7 — 10 2 13 0 20 6 United Kingdom to India … — 3 9 6 6 9 9 15 0 India to United Kingdom … — 2 6 5 0 7 8 12 6 of the fall in the internal value of the pound.
§ Mr. GaitskellThe unemployment benefit paid to a single man under the general scheme in April, 1939, was 17s. per week. The corresponding amount now is 26s. The 26s. would be worth about 17s. 1d. in 1939, on the basis of the official index on retail prices introduced in June, 1947, and the previous cost-of-living index. I would however, draw the hon. Member's attention to the precarious nature of comparisons in particular contexts made on the basis of general indices of this kind.