§ 35. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the average increased costs to a single man a married man and a married man with one child, respectively, as a result of recent cuts in Government expenditure in the following income groups, namely, under £1,000, £1,000 to £2,000, £2,000 to £3,000, £3,000 to £4,000, £4,000 to £5,000, £5,000 to £6,000, £6000 to £7,000, £7,000 to £8,000, and over £8,000; and how many people will be affected in each of the groups.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI assume that the hon. Member has in mind the increased charges for certain social services.
For those with incomes above the new remission limits the average effect of the increased health charges from April, 1971 58W will be in the region of 30s. for the single man, and about £3 for the childless couple. In the case of the married man with one child, the effect will depend on the age of the child. However, assuming that the child is of school age and continues to consume school meals, the additional annual cost will be about £6 10s. from April 1971; the cost of increased health and school meals charges will be in the region of £9 10s. For the effect of the lowering of the age for free school milk, I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer which my hon. Friend the Chief Secretary gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) on 10th November.
For incomes below £1,000 per annum I estimate that about 1½ million single people will be liable to pay the average additional cost of 30s. per annum. About a further 250,000 single people will be liable to pay the dental and opthalmic charges at a cost of about 10s. per annum, but will be exempt from prescription charges. About 50,000 married households without children will be liable to pay the increased charges. Relatively few married couples with one child will be liable to pay the increased charges. These estimates necessarily involve a considerable degree of approximation.
Most families of the type specified by the hon. Member with incomes above £1,000 per annum will be liable to pay the increased charges. For the numbers at different income levels I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer to the further Question which he has put down for today.