§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the average rents and rates paid by (a) single people, (b) married couples and (c) couples with two children, living in local authority housing, in 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1980; and if he will compare the costs of each with (i) the retail price index and (ii) the index of average earnings for male manual workers.
§ Mr. StanleyThe following is the information:
rebates received are deducted before housing expenditure is calculated; the rent and rates of households on supplementary benefit—whose housing costs are taken 377W into account in the benefit calculation—are calculated as having been paid in full. Earnings figures are derived from the Great Britain New Earnings Survey. Information for 1950, 1960 and 1980 on housing expenditure is not available.