§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the percentage relationship between married couples' pension levels and the average industrial wage during each of the past five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. OrmeThe following is the information:
RETIREMENT PENSION AS A PERCENTAGE OF GROSS* AND NET†AVERAGE EARNINGS FOR EACH YEAR SINCE 1972 Retirement pension for a married couple as a percentage of Year (October) Gross Earnings Net Earnings 1972 … … 30.4 39.8 1973 … … 30.5 40.7 1974 … … 32.9 45.5 1975‡ … … 35.3 50.3 1976‡ … … 36.2 51.6 * Estimate based on average weekly earnings of male, adult full-time manual workers as determined by the Department of Employment's October enquiry into the earnings of manual workers employed in manufacturing and certain other industries and the monthly index of average earnings. † Gross earnings less tax and national insurance contributions. ‡ November benefit rates as a percentage of November earnings.