asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the trend of the level of the standard of living up to the time of the publication of his most recent financial statement and Budget report; and upon which published statistics he bases his judgment of that trend.

Over the years the standard of living has tended to rise. Statistics for recent years are published in Economic Trends, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which statistical figures and analysis in the financial statement and Budget report offer the best illustration of the level of the standard of living.

Those in Tables 1, 4 and 5.