§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the national average wage in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, and the tax threshold for (a) a single person and (b)a married couple; and if he will show (a) and (b) as a percentage of the national average wage for each of those years.
Tax threshold Tax threshold as a percentage of average earnings Average earnings (£ per year) Single person £ Married man £ Single person Per cent. Married man Per cent. 1978–79 4,831 985 1,535 20.4 31.8 1979–80 5,689 1,165 1,815 20.5 31.9 1980–81 6,838 1,375 2,145 20.1 31.4 1981–82 7,592 1,375 2,145 18.1 28.3 1982–83 8,190 1,565 2,445 19.1 29.9 1983–84 8,892 1,785 2,795 20.1 31.4 1984–85 9,558 2,005 3,155 21.0 33.0