§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 19 December 1979, c. 84, if he will now state the purchasing power of the Christmas bonus 1979 in comparison with the 1978 and 1973 bonuses.
§ Mr. Prentice[pursuant to his reply, 14 January 1980, c. 656]: Based on the movement of the general index of retail prices up to December 1979 the purchasing power of the December 1979 bonus, compared with the £10 bonus first paid in December 1972* was £3.71. Compared with the December 1978 bonus, its purchasing power was £8.53.
* Note:The purchasing power has been given in December 1972 rather than December 1973 terms because the hon. Member's earlier question, answered on 19 December 1979—Official Report, Vol. 976, c. 84—asked for a comparison with the bonus when first introduced, which was in 1972.