§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish 423W figures comparing the net weekly income—after taking into account income tax, social security contributions and child benefit—in Great Britain, France and Germany, of a single-wage married couple with two children aged 10 years and 12 years, where the father earns each of £80, £100, £150 and £200 a week, respectively.
§ Mr. Peter Rees,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10 July 1979],gave the following answer:
The information requested is given in the following table:
Single-wage married couple—father earning per week £80 £100 £150 £200 £ £ £ £ Great Britain 70 83 115 150 France 78 94 138 179 Germany 71 84 117 158 Notes:
1. Figures are for the income year 1979–80 in the case of the United Kingdom, 1979 for Germany, and 1978 for France, which fixes its tax rates in arrear at the end of the income year. The United Kingdom figures take into account the income tax reductions announced by the Chancellor in his Budget.
2. Personal reliefs, minimum expenses deductions, employment income reliefs and other flat rate reliefs have been taken into account, as have deductible social security contributions. Voluntary contributions to social security schemes have been ignored.
3. Conversions of sterling were made at the exchange rates prevailing in London on 9 July 1979. Such conversions may not reflect differences in domestic purchasing power between the United Kingdom and individual foreign currencies.