§ Mr. Wyn Robertsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the social wage amounts to currently per adult in the United Kingdom; how it is composed; and if he will give comparable figures for 1970, 1965, 1960 and 1950, respectively.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe most recent estimate of the social wage, which refers to the year 1974–75, is that quoted in the Budget speech, of about £1,000 per member of the working population. Its composition was set out in the answer given to the hon. Member for Dorking (Sir G. Sinclair) on 22nd April—[Vol. 890, c.254.]—Comparable figures for 1970–71 are shown below; estimates for earlier years are not readily available.
£ Social security 150 Education, libraries science and arts 110 Health and personal social services 90 Housing 50 Other environmental services 35 Law, order and other protective services 25 Certain subsidies in other programmes* 5 465 * Food, nationalised industries' price restraint. and the main transport subsidies.