HC Deb 21 July 1994 vol 247 cc632-4W
Ms Corston

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the change in real incomes by decile group, 1979 to 1991–92, including the self-employed, before and after housing costs, following table A1 and appendix 10 of the latest households below average income report; and what was the equivalised and unequivalised income per household in each decile group, for households with children;

(2) what was the average equivalent income at April 1994 prices for (a) the poorest 10 per cent. and (b) the poorest 20 per cent. from the latest housing below average income analysis, before and after housing costs in 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988 to 1989, 1990–91 and 1991–92 for (i) a pensioner couple, (ii) a single pensioner, (iii) a couple with children, (iv) a couple without children, (v) a single adult with children and (vi) a single adult without children;

(3) how many children were in households living on incomes (a) below the 1979 bottom decile and (b) below 50 per cent. of 1979 average income, in 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988–9, 1990–91 and 1991–92, following tables 11.1 and 11.5 of the latest households below average income report; and what was the household income in current prices of these two cut off points for each of the years in question.

(4) what assessment he has made of the effect of a rise in the survey response rate from 70 per cent. to 85 per cent. on the low income data in the latest households below average income report; and what are the latest research results on the relationship between response to Government household income and expenditure surveys and income;

(5) what would have been the effect on the numbers of children in households living on incomes (a) below the 1979 bottom decile median and (b) below 50 per cent. of 1979 average income, by 1991–92, using the methodology of the latest households below average income report, if child benefit (i) had remained at its 1979 level in real terms and (ii) had been increased relative to household income;

(6) what was the equivalent monetary value in pound per week at April 1994 prices, following table A2 of the latest housing below average income report, in 1979, 1990–91 and 1991–92, before and after housing costs, of the decile means and medians of the two poorest decile groups and the richest decile group, and the total population mean of (a) a single adult, (b) a couple with no children, (c) a couple with one child aged three years, (d) a couple with one child aged 16 years, (e) a couple with two children aged three and eight years, (f) a couple with three children aged three, eight and 11 years and (g) a couple with three children aged 11, 16 and 17 years;

(7) what was the mean disposable income of each of the family types, as listed in the latest households below average income report, of the lowest decile group, second lowest decile group, and highest decile group in (a) current and (b) April 1994 prices, as ranked according to his Department's convention of equivalised income in 1979, 1988–89 and 1991–92.

Mr. Burt

I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Back to