§ 64. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the reduction in the standard rate of income tax which benefited the higher income groups more than others, he will take action to help the poorer sections of the community.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe Government have introduced a wide range of measures to help the poorer sections of the community, including the biggest ever up-ratings of existing Social Security and National Insurance Benefits and the introduction of new benefits. So far as tax is concerned, people with low incomes have benefited from the raising of the tax74W thresholds as well as from cuts in indirect taxation. As I explained to the House on 6th November standards of living of the poorer sections of the community have risen much faster since 1970 than during the previous six years; and, proportionately, those at the lower end of the incomes scale have benefited more than most of those higher up.