§ Mr. CoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the real change in take-home pay for a married couple on average earnings, with two children, between(a) 1973–74 and 1978–79 and(b) 1978–79 and 1993–94; and what were the figures in other EC countries.
§ Mr. OppenheimReal take-home pay for a married couple on average earnings, with two children, decreased by 2 per cent. between 1973–74 and 1978–79 and increased by 41 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1993–94. Independent research shows that the take-home pay of production workers in the UK is comparable with that in Germany and ahead of that of France, the Netherlands and Denmark, once the cost of living has been taken into account.