§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures for 1980 and 1981 for a married man with two children earning average male manual earnings, showing the length of time, after taking into account income tax liability and national insurance contribution, necessary to pay for each of the following items: weekly rent of a three-bedroomed council dwelling, mortgage repayment on a newly built three-bedroomed semi-detached house, 3 lbs of beef sirloin, 2 lbs of fresh cod, 14 lbs of potatoes, a large loaf, ½ lb of tea, a quart of fresh milk, five cwts. of best coal, five gallons of petrol, a weekly season ticket between Surbiton and London, postage on five letters, a telegram of 12 words, a gentleman's haircut, 20 cigarettes, a pint of beer and a bottle of whisky.
514W
§ Mr. BrittanI regret that the figures needed to update the reply given to a similar question by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 13 February 1981—[Vol. 998, c.451]—are not at present available. They should, however, become available very shortly, when I shall write to my hon. Friend.