HC Deb 28 July 1989 vol 157 cc1021-2W
Sir Ian Gilmour

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures for 1979–80 and 1989–90 showing(a) net incomes and (b) disposable incomes for a single-wage married couple with two children under five years and a lone mother with two children under five years, at half, two thirds, average and twice average earnings; using the same assumptions for housing costs as in the DSS tax-benefit model tables.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Pursuant to the holding answer of 24 July 1989, the information requested is as follows:

Single-wage married couple with two children under 5
Average earnings1 2 4
£ per week
½ 1 2
Total net income
1979–80 65.67 67.60 88.60 163.44
1989–90 134.60 156.57 217.10 408.73
Disposable income
1979–80 56.37 58.30 79.30 154.14
1989–90 104.10 126.07 186.60 378.23

Lone mother with two children under 5
Average earnings1 3 4
£ per week
½ 1 2
Total net income
1979–80 67.10 68.58 68.15 110.62
1989–90 131.31 136.83 162.04 287.18
Disposable income
1979–80 57.80 59.28 58.85 101.32
1989–90 100.82 106.33 131.54 256.68
1 1989–90 average arnings use the Government's Actuary's assumption of 7½ per cent, earnings growth over 1988–89.
2 Average male earnings 1979–80 £109.30, 1989–90 £275.10 a week.
3 Average female earnings 1979–80 £70.00, 1989–90 £183.80 a week.
4 All figures are the cash values of the year in question.