HC Deb 28 July 1988 vol 138 cc490-1W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many adults in the United Kingdom had disposable wealth in 1979(a) over £5,000 but less than £10,000, (b) over £10,000 but less than £20,000 and (c) over £20,000; and if he will give details of the numbers for equivalent amounts in real terms for each year since 1980.

Mr. Norman Lament

The available estimates are published in "Inland Revenue Statistics" (IRS). The latest estimate of the distribution of marketable wealth for 1979 is given in summary form in IRS 1984 table 4.8 with a fuller distribution of identified wealth in IRS 1983 table 4.12. Estimates have not been made in real terms but estimates in current prices are to be found as follows:

IRS Table
Marketable wealth:
1980 1986 4.7
1981–85 1987 7.5
Identified wealth:
1980 1984 4.12
1981 1985 4.11
1982 1986 4.11
1983 1987 7.1
1984 1986 Appendix D1
1985 1987 7.3

Estimates for 1984 and 1985 are provisional. "Identified wealth" is wealth whose distribution can be estimated directly from capital transfer tax statistics.