§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many full-time public sector employees he estimates are paid less than the rate of social security paid to an unemployed man with a wife and four children.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThere is no single rate of social security benefit paid to all unemployed men with a wife and four children. However, taking the increased social security benefit rates payable from 24 November, an unemployed man with a wife and four children whose previous earnings were the same as average full-time male earnings and who satisfied the contribution conditions would qualify for unemployment benefit at a rate of just over £52 for the first six months and just over £38 for the next six months.
Precise estimates of the number of full-time employees in the public sector earning less than the two amounts quoted above are not readily available. However, it is estimated from the new earnings survey that in April 1980 less than a ¼ per cent. of adult men and less than 5 per cent. of adult women would normally earn less than the former amount, and no more than a ¼ per cent.—virtually all women—would normally earn less than the latter amount.