HC Deb 01 February 1995 vol 253 cc707-8W
Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the proportion of households in the bottom 10 per cent. of income distribution which have(a) a car, (b) a television, (c) a video, (d) a telephone, (e) a washing machine, (f) a fridge freezer or freezer and (g) a home computer (i) in the latest year for which figures are available and (ii) in 1979.

Mr. Burt

The available information is in the table.

Percentage of individuals in the bottom 10 per cent. of the income distribution who live in households with access to consumer durables, in 1979 and 1991–921
Before Housing Costs After Housing Costs
1979 1991–92 1979 1991–92
Car or van 39 51 40 53
Television 93 297 93 297
Video 4 60 4 65
Telephone 47 74 47 73
Washing machine 69 87 69 86
Fridge freezer or freezer1 29 79 32 81
Home computer 4 20 4 21
Notes:
1 The latest period for which figures are available is 1991–92; that is the calendar years 1991 and 1992 combined.
2 The latest period for which information on televisions is available is 1990–91.
3 The large increase in access to fridge freezers or freezers mainly reflects a rise in the access to fridge freezers over the period.
4 Information on videos and home computers was not available in 1979.

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