§ 51. Mr. Sheldonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the Gini coefficients for pre-distribution incomes and post-distribution incomes for as many of the years as are practicable from 1937 to the present date.
§ Mr. HigginsFollowing is the information.
Gini coefficients of inequality of the income of different types of household before and after redistribution through taxes and social service benefits have been calculated on a comparable basis for the years 1961 to 1968, using the results of the Family Expenditure Survey. Similar estimates are not available for earlier years. Gini coefficients for 1969 are available on a slightly different basis. A single Gini coefficient covering all types of household is not available; instead, weighted averages are calculated of the Gini coefficients for the six most important types of household taking part in the Family Expenditure Survey. These are shown in the table below.
second measure thus includes government expenditure and capital formation as well as personal consumption. The figures for the United Kingdom are based on the latest available estimates for the national accounts and those for the Common Market Countries are based on the E.E.C. National Accounts 1959–69.
Percentage increase 1958–1969 Consumers' expenditure per head Gross national product per head United Kingdom … 24.3 30.6 Belgium … 42.1 53.2 France … 59.9 63.4 Germany … 55.1 57.7 Italy … 69.1 68.7 Netherlands … 56.8 53.5 Luxembourg* … 29.7 24.9 *Figures relate to 1960–1969.