§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will show the level of unemployment benefit(a) in real terms at 1992 prices and (b) as a percentage of the equivalent average wage for (i) a single unemployed person, (ii) an unemployed person with a dependent spouse and (iii) an unemployed person with a spouse and two children for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. BurtThe information is in the tables:
455W
Date Single unemployed person With dependent spouse With dependent spouse and two children (£) (£) (£) November 1985 44.06 71.27 — July 1986 43.84 70.88 — April 1987 42.88 69.33 — April 1988 42.97 69.47 — April 1989 42.14 68.12 — April 1990 41.44 67.01 — April 1991 43.17 69.82 — April 1992 43.10 69.70 —
Table 3 Unemployment benefit as percentage of average earnings Date Single unemployed person With dependent spouse With dependent spouse and two children per cent. per cent. per cent. November 1979 16.21 26.25 29.23 November 1980 15.28 24.72 26.57 November 1981 15.05 24.35 25.42 November 1982 15.57 25.19 25.56 November 1983 15.69 25.38 25.55 November 1984 15.18 24.55 — November 1985 15.26 24.69 — July 1986 14.60 23.61 — April 1987 14.04 22.70 — April 1988 13.32 21.54 — April 1989 12.88 20.82 — April 1990 12.64 20.43 — April 1991 12.98 20.99 — April 1992 12.77 20.65 — Notes:
1. Child dependency additions were abolished from 26 November 1984.
Average earnings are taken from Gross Adult Males All Occupations (New Earnings Survey).
Over 70 per cent. of those registered unemployed are in receipt of Income Support.