§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much, for a married worker with three children aged three, seven and 12, the income ceilings have been increased for eligibility, respectively, for free welfare foods since 1950 and for prescription charge and optical and dental charge refunds since these were introduced; what were the dates of the increases; and what were the new income levels established on each occasion.
§ Mr. DeanThe dates and qualifying income levels are as follows:
NET INCOME LEVELS Welfare Foods: Date £ s. d. 12th June, 1950 … 4 13 6 3rd September, 1951 … 5 4 6 16th June, 1952 … 5 19 6 7th February, 1955 … 6 6 6 23rd January, 1956 … 6 13 6 27th January, 1958 … 7 9 10 7th September, 1959 … 8 18 4 3rd April, 1961 … 9 6 4 24th September, 1962 … 9 15 4 27th May, 1963 … 10 10 4 29th March, 1965 … 12 3 10 28th November, 1966 … 13 4 10 30th October, 1967 … 13 18 4 7th October, 1968 … 14 13 6 3rd November, 1969 … 15 5 6 2nd November, 1970 … 16 6 6
£ 4th April, 1971 … … 17.35p
Dental and Optical Charges: Date £ s. d. 21st May, 1951 … 4 16 6 3rd September, 1951 … 5 7 6 16th June, 1952 … 6 2 6 7th February, 1955 … 6 9 6 23rd January, 1956 … 6 16 6 27th January, 1958 … 7 10 6 18th February, 1959 … 8 2 6 7th September, 1959 … 9 8 0 3rd April, 1961 … 9 16 0 24th September, 1962 … 10 5 0 27th May, 1963 … 11 0 0 29th March, 1965 … 12 13 6 28th November, 1966 … 13 14 6 30th October, 1967 … 14 8 0 7th October, 1968 … 15 2 0 3rd November, 1969 … 15 14 0 2nd November, 1970 … 16 15 0 210W
£ 1st April, 1971 … … 17.50p Prescription Charges:
NOTE. There were no prescription charges between 1st February, 1965 and 10th June, 1968.
Date £ s. d. 1st June, 1952 … 5 5 6 16th June, 1952 … 6 0 6 7th February, 1955 … 6 7 6 23rd January, 1956 … 6 14 6 27th January, 1958 … 7 8 6 7th September, 1959 … 8 17 0 3rd April, 1961 … 9 6 0 24th September, 1962 … 9 15 0 27th May, 1963 … 10 10 0 10th June, 1968 … 14 2 6 7th October, 1968 … 14 16 6 3rd November, 1969 … 15 8 6 2nd November, 1970 … 16 9 6
£ 1st April, 1971 … … 16.50p NOTES:
(1) The income levels represent net earnings, i.e., "take-home" pay, plus Family Allowances.
(2) The calculations do not include any rent and they would therefore be increased by the amount of rent payable.
(3) Because of the long period of time involved, it would not be possible, without an inordinate amount of work involving other Departments, to express the income levels as gross, i.e. before deduction of income tax, national insurance contributions and expenses in connection with employment.