HC Deb 14 February 1977 vol 926 cc47-8W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if a man with a wife and two children whose rent is £4.72, rates £1.90 would have a net weekly spending power of £36.64 when receiving supplementary benefit only; and what wage it would be necessary for him to earn in order to leave him with £36.64 spending power if his work expenses were £1.75.

Mr. Orme

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27th January 1977; Vo1. FTC, c. 729], gave the following information:

The supplementary benefit entitlement of a man with a wife and two children, one aged under 5 and the other between 5 and 10, and whose rent is £4.72 and rates £1.90, would be £36.64. Since net weekly spending power is always expressed net of housing costs, this entitlement would give a net weekly spending power of £30.02.

When he was working, his net weekly spending power would be greater than £30.02 if he earned £22.50 or more, assuming that

  1. (i) he received rent and rates rebates, free welfare milk for one of his children and free school meals for the other;
  2. (ii) the value of free welfare milk is as at the end of 1976.