§ Mr. ThomasonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of take-home pay in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other EC countries; and if he will list the evidence on which such figures are based. [26487]
§ Sir George YoungTaking into account the cost of living, estimated average take-home pay for an unmarried UK production worker, under Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development definitions, is higher than in all other EU countries, except Luxembourg. Average take-home pay plus child benefit—or the equivalent in other countries—for a married couple with two children is also higher in the UK than in other EU countries except Luxembourg, Belgium and the former West Germany. These comparisons are based on figures published in "The Tax/Benefit Position of Production Workers Annual Report 1990–1993", OECD 1994, adjusted using purchasing power parity exchange rates, also published by OECD.