HL Deb 28 February 1978 vol 389 cc467-8WA
Lord CHITNIS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will present the percentage of total wages and salaries taken by (a) the lowest percentile, (b) the lowest decile, (c) the highest decile, (d) the highest percentile for 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965 and each year since 1970.

Baroness BIRK

The available data from the Inland Revenue's Surveys of Personal Incomes are for the years 1959–60 and 1965–66 and annually from 1970–71 to 1975–76. They relate to wages and salaries above the threshold for the application of PAYE and are as follows:

Percentage of total employment income within:
Year Top Top Bottom Bottom
1% 10% 10% 1%
1959–60 6 25 1½ "
1965–66 6 25 1½ "
1970–71 5½ 26 1½ "
1971–72 5½ 25½ 1½ "
1972–73 5½ 25 2 "
1973–74 5 24½ 1½ "
1974–75 5 24½ 1½ "
1975–76 4½ 24 1½ "

NOTES—

1. "Means less than ½ per cent.

2. The percentages, particularly for the top 1 per cent., may be affected by the exclusion, progressively from 1971–72 of employee's superannuation contributions from wages and salaries as recorded in the Surveys of Personal Income.