§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total net weekly income of a man with a wife and two children under 11 years of age, assuming a weekly wage of £30, and that the previous year's pay was the same, allowing for tax repayments and welfare benefits, (1) for a week's work after 39 weeks of work at the appropriate rate, and (2) when unemployed after 39 weeks of employment and when qualifying for earnings-related supplement; and how many weeks of the year the take-home pay when out of work could exceed the take-home pay when at work.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe comparison requested was given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in his reply on 8th April to the hon. Member's earlier Questions.—[Vol. 872. c.61–66.] The man's income when out of work could exceed his take-home pay when in work for a maximum of 14 weeks provided he had worked throughout the first 36 weeks of the tax year before becoming unemployed; this maximum would not be reached if he had worked for a shorter, or a longer, period.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will compare the net weekly disposable income after payment of tax and receiving all relevant welfare benefits or rebates of a man with a wife and two children under 11 years of age, and whose rent or mortgage repayment is £5 per week, with that when unemployed, assuming that his previous year's earnings were at the same rate and he is receiving earnings-related benefit and PAYE refunds.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThis would depend on what earnings are assumed. Comparisons288W on the basis of the other assumptions stated have already been given for earnings of £20, £25, £30, £35 and £40 a week by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in his reply on 8th April to the hon. Member's earlier Questions.—[Vol. 872, c. 61–66.]