§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) of 22 January,Official Report, column 105, if he will list the latest new earnings survey figure for the number of people working up to 29 hours a week earning less than each of the family 548W credit ceilings for households of different composition working between 16 and 29 hours per week; and if he will present similar data for those people working about 30 hours per week using the eligibility level for family credit which were applicable for the year during which the earnings survey was carried out. [12735]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
The "New Earnings Survey" contains no information on family composition and does not provide reliable estimates of the number of employees. The table shows the proportion of all employees in the "New Earnings Survey" who are working 16 to 29 hours and 30 hours or more and have earnings below the family credit thresholds indicated. Entitlement to family credit depends on household income as well as family size and it should therefore be noted that the information provided gives no indication of the proportion of employees who qualify for this benefit. Employees in the categories shown will include members of two-earner couples whose household income will be above the appropriate family credit threshold. The sample will also include employees with no dependant children who would have no entitlement to family credit irrespective of the level of earnings.
Proportion of all employees with earnings below family credit thresholds Working 19–29 hours Working 30 hours or more Family type Family credit ceiling (£s per week gross) Percentage with earnings below threshold Family credit ceiling (£s per week gross) Percentage with earnings below threshold Family with one child under 5 190.00 79.4 212.00 27.7 Family with two children under 11 215.00 82.4 237.00 36.1 Family with two children 11–15 248.00 84.5 270.00 43.9 Family with three children under 11 240.00 85.0 262.00 46.2 Family with three children 11–15 289.50 87.6 311.00 57.5 Family with two children under 11 and two 11–15 298.00 87.9 320.00 59.6 Notes:
1. Family credit ceilings are 1995–96 and are based on the highest amount of net earnings a family can have and still qualify for family credit at the minimum payment of 50p.
2. Net family credit ceilings have been converted to gross earnings to allow comparison with New Earnings Survey data. In this conversion it has been assumed that tax allowances are equal to those of a married person.
3. Percentages relate to all employees in the categories concerned, irrespective of household composition, whose pay for the survey period was unaffected by absence.
Source:
New Earnings Survey 1995 (GB).
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