§ Mr. Maxtonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the average weekly household income in Scotland for each of the years 1978 to 1986, inclusive.
§ Mr. LangThe information available relates to average gross weekly income of households as shown in the family expenditure surveys and is provided below. Information for 1986 is not yet available.
Average grosss weekly income1 of households in Scotland £ 1978 111 1979 118 1980 135 1981 158 1982 167 21983 a l68 b 166 1984 185 1985 211 1 Gross income as defined in the family expenditure survey comprises cash income (eg from employment, investments, pensions and cash social security benefits) together with selected other benefits such as the imputed value of owner-occupied accommodation and the value of luncheon vouchers. It does not cover most non-cash benefits such as free prescriptions or benefits in kind (eg free coal, company cars). Gross income will not reflect rent and rates rebates, except insofar as described in note 2 below. 2 Under the housing benefit scheme, introduced in stages from November 1982, some cash transactions were eliminated leading to a reduction in the level of cash income. For 1983 figures are given (a) covering the same transactions as in the earlier years and (b) on a cash transactions basis consistent with the years 1984 and 1985.