HC Deb 05 February 1981 vol 998 c197W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 18 July 1977, column 388, comparing the retail price index with indices of income tax and national insurance contribution, for different family types, at different levels of earnings, and for each year since 1970–71.

Mr. Peter Rees

The figures are as in the table shown below. For each year except 1980–81 the average earnings figures are the averages of the figures obtained in the new earnings survey of the average weekly earnings of full time adult male employees, in all occupations—manual and non-manual—at the April of the beginning and end of each year. For 1980–81 the estimated level of earnings for October 1980—the latest month for which an appropriate

1970–71=100
Single Person Married Couple Married Couple with 2 children under Age 11 Married Couple with 4 children under Age 11
Retail Prices Index NIC TAX TAX + NIC TAX TAX + NIC TAX TAX + NIC TAX TAX + NIC
50 per cent. of Average Earnings
1970–71 100 100 100 100 100 100 *— 100 — 100
1971–72 109 107 116 113 134 121 — 100 — 107
1972–73 117 115 102 107 109 112 — 104 — 115
1973–74 129 126 135 132 169 149 — 156 — 126
1974–75 152 146 204 185 260 206 — 210 — 146
1975–76 190 152 289 244 389 277 — 349 — 263
1976–77 219 180 336 285 441 317 — 365 — 214
1977–78 250 201 331 288 356 283 — 358 — 212
1978–79 270 258 341 313 362 313 — 501 — 475
1979–80 313 306 389 362 432 372 — 708 — 785
1980–8 † 364 378 500 460 584 486 — 925 — 1,025
100 per cent. of Average Earnings
1970–71 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1971–72 109 111 108 109 111 111 103 105 91 96
1972–73 117 134 113 117 116 120 110 116 99 108
1973–74 129 154 134 138 141 144 141 144 135 140
1974–75 152 188 187 187 195 194 194 192 179 181
1975–76 190 215 250 244 264 254 280 264 279 262
1976–77 219 254 286 281 300 290 308 295 293 283
1977–78 250 284 299 296 299 296 322 313 311 303
1978–79 270 364 322 330 323 332 374 372 389 382
1979–80 313 432 354 369 357 373 441 438 490 474
1980–81 (October)† 364 534 434 452 440 459 542 540 603 584
* No index is given, since the tax payable in 1970–71 was very small (13p a week) and a comparison with this produces exaggerated movements. Tax in 1980–81 is estimated to be £7.77 a week.
† Provisional.