asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the tax-free income of (a) a single person, (b) a married couple without children, (c) a married couple with one child under 11 years, (d) a married couple with two children under 11 years, (e) a married couple with three children, two under 11 years, (f) a married couple with four children, two under 11 years, for each year since 1945; and if he will also list the value of each of these totals in real terms in 1945 prices.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

				Pre-tax		Post-tax
Lower limit of income range				Number of incomes	Percentage of total	Number of incomes	Percentage of total
				'000	Per cent.	'000	Per cent.
£735	…	…	…	944	4·2	1,240	5·5
£1,000	…	…	…	4,560	20·3	6,610	29·4
£2,000	…	…	…	4,840	21·6	5,590	24·9
£3,000	…	…	…	4,070	18·1	4,510	20·1
£4,000	…	…	…	3,330	14·8	2,510	11·2
£5,000	…	…	…	2,070	9·2	1,040	4·6
£6,000	…	…	…	1,100	4·9	455	2·0
£7,000	…	…	…	548	2·4	221	1·0
£8,000	…	…	…	299	1·3	105	0·5
£9,000	…	…	…	202	0·9	71	0·3
£10,000	…	…	…	125	0·6	32	0·1
£11,000	…	…	…	91	0·4	24	0·1
£12,000	…	…	…	57	0·3	11	0·1
£13,000	…	…	…	44	0·2	8·4	—
£14,000	…	…	…	34	0·2	6·5	—
£15,000	…	…	…	23	0·1	2·5	—
£16,000	…	…	…	19	0·1	2·0	—
£17,000	…	…	…	15	0·1	1·6	—
£18,000	…	…	…	13	0·1	1·4	—
£19,000	…	…	…	10	—	1·1	—
£20,000	…	…	…	56	0·2	2·6	—
£50,000	…	…	…	4	—	0·2	—
—= Less than 0·05 per cent.

These numbers are based upon the Inland Revenue's survey of personal incomes for 1976–77 which covers incomes above £735.The numbers with incomes less than £735 are not known. The numbers with incomes in the range £20,000 to £50,000 are too small for a further breakdown to be given. Married couples are counted as one. The income covered is that which is assessable for tax purposes and therefore excludes, for example, certain imputed income and non-taxable benefit. The data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling error.