Productivity

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 11th July columns 517–18, he will list the cumulative increase and the average annual rate of increase in national productivity, as measured on the same basis as his previous reply, for the following periods (a) 1970 second quarter to 1973 fourth quarter and (b) 1973 fourth quarter to 1977 fourth quarter.

Pursuant to the answer I gave on 11th July, the comparisons requested are given below:October 1951, between November 1951 and September 1964, between October 1964 and May 1970, between June 1970 and February 1974, and between March 1974 and the latest date for which figures are available.

I regret that in the time available it has not been possible to provide the information requested. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table for each year since 1970 comparing movements in the retail price index with indices of income tax and national insurance payments, 1970=100, in each case for a single person, for a married couple, for a married couple with two children and for a married couple with four children earning 50 per cent., 100 per cent. and 200 per cent. of average earnings in each case and assuming in 1978 that they are contracted-in to the state pension scheme.

pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 1st August 1978], gave the following information:The figures are as follows:

			Retail Prices Index	Single person			Married couple			Married couple with 2 children not over 11			Married couple with 4 children not over 11
				TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC	TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC	TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC	TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC
			(a)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)
50% of average Earnings
1970/71	…	…	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	—	100	100	—	100	100
1971/72	…	…	109	116	106	113	139	106	122	—	106	106	—	106	106
1972/73	…	…	116	96	114	102	98	114	106	—	114	114	—	114	114
1973/74	…	…	127	130	125	129	169	125	146	—	125	136	—	125	125
1974/75	…	…	146	179	140	164	221	140	177	—	140	140	—	140	140
1975/76	…	…	178	279	144	232	392	144	263	—	144	304	—	144	176
1976/77	…	…	212	348	178	289	489	178	327	—	178	359	—	178	178
1977/78	…	…	249	329	195	282	358	195	273	—	195	320	—	195	195
1978/79	…	…	268	344	254	313	375	254	312	—	254	510	—	254	427
100% of Average Earnings
1970/71	…	…	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
1971/72	…	…	109	108	101	106	110	101	108	102	101	102	88	101	92
1972/73	…	…	116	110	125	113	113	125	116	105	125	110	92	125	102
1973/74	…	…	127	131	144	134	139	144	140	138	144	140	131	144	135
1974/75	…	…	146	169	164	168	176	164	173	169	164	168	148	164	153
1975/76	…	…	178	241	198	232	254	198	242	269	198	250	267	198	247
1976/77	…	…	212	290	244	281	305	244	292	316	244	297	300	244	284
1977/78	…	…	249	296	267	290	295	267	289	320	267	306	306	267	295
1978/79	…	…	268	323	254	328	325	254	330	382	254	373	399	254	384

( a) April 1970 = 100

( b) 1970/71 = 100

			Retail Prices Index	Single person			Married couple			Married couple with 2 children not over 11			Married couple with 4 children not over 11
				TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC	TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC	TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC	TAX	NIC	TAX+NIC
			(a)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)	(b)
200% of Average Earnings
1970/71	…	…	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
1971/72	…	…	109	106	121	107	106	121	108	103	121	105	99	121	102
1972/73	…	…	116	113	150	117	115	150	118	112	150	116	109	150	113
1973/74	…	…	127	132	172	135	134	172	138	134	172	138	132	172	136
1974/75	…	…	146	167	205	170	169	205	173	166	205	171	160	205	165
1975/76	…	…	178	241	223	240	243	223	241	242	223	240	239	223	237
1976/77	…	…	212	317	322	296	294	322	297	290	322	293	279	322	284
1977/78	…	…	249	297	356	302	291	356	298	296	356	303	288	356	296
1978/79	…	…	268	321	460	334	318	460	332	336	460	349	339	460	352

These figures update previous Answers to the hon Member on 18 July 1977 (Cols 388–390) and 5 December 1977 (Cols 567–568). As in those Answers, the figures of prices and earnings are for April at the begininng of each financial year. Further details of the calculations are given in the Notes to those Replies.

The figures for families with children are affected by the replacement from 1977/78 of child tax allowances by non-taxable child benefit.

Volume 955: debated on Thursday 3 August 1978