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Mr. Clemitson
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures of the average unemployment benefit received per week expressed as a percentage of the average male manual workers' earnings per week for each of the last five years.
Mr. O'Malley
I have been asked to reply.The latest comparable figures available are for the first week in May in each year and they are given in the following table.
| Average payment of unemployment benefit (including earnings-related supplement) in the first week in May as a percentage of average earnings* | |
| Year and Benefit as a percentage of earnings | |
| 1970 | 32·5 |
| 1971 | 29·0 |
| 1972 | 31·1 |
| 1973 | 30·1 |
| 1974 | 29·3 |
| * Estimated average earnings of male adult full-time manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries based on the Department of Employment's regular October inquiry. | |