§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research is required to collect the information necessary to enable him to answer the Written Question, Official Report, 7th March, columns 614–15, by the hon. Member for Macclesfield.
§ Mr. Robed SheldonIt would be necessary for each of the 23 other OECD countries for each of the last 15 years:
- (a) to ask for details of the average levels of earnings (which have not generally been published for some or all of the years concerned);
- (b) to adjust these earnings figures where available by reference to the prevailing rates of inflation;
- (c) to compute the after-tax income of an average earner by reference to the rates of income tax, State or local taxes, social security deductions and other compulsory deductions; and
- (d) to convert the figures obtained to sterling by reference to the average rate of exchange during the year concerned.