§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the income of an unemployed building worker, who had earned the average earnings of that industry, in his twelfth week of unemployment if he had a wife and two children aged under 11 years; and how this income compares with his Department's assessment of what the average family of four require to live on.
§ Mr. OrmeThe income which an unemployed building worker in the family circumstances specified might receive after 12 weeks of unemployment would depend on his personal circumstances. In particular, any entitlement to unemployment benefit and earnings-related supplement would depend on his previous work record and level of earnings and on the duration of any interruption of employment498W from either sickness or unemployment in the past. Assuming that he had been in continuous employment and had £66.60 earnings a week in August 1976—the latest available figure for the average earnings of male manual workers which are very close to those for workers in the construction industry—he would be likely to receive £27.50 flat-rate unemployment benefit, £10.27 earnings-related supplement and £1.50 family allowance at the current benefit rates. There might also be entitlement to other, means-tested, benefits such as rent and/or rate rebates, free welfare milk and free school meals, according to the particular circumstances of the family. Under the supplementary benefit scheme an unemployed man with a wife and two children aged over 5 and under 11 would have his income brought up to £29.35, plus an addition for reasonable housing costs. The family would also be entitled to free school meals for both children.