asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what percentages of working families falling within the lowest quintile of income distribution in 1982 were dependent on a single wage; and of these how many had a child under five years of age.
It is estimated* that there were about 625,000 working families† with children falling within the lowest quintile of income distribution* in 1982. Of these about 500,000 (about 80 per cent.) were dependent on a single wage║ and of these about 250,000 had at least one child under five years of age.
* The estimates have been derived from analyses of 1982 family expenditure survey data.
†s Includes one parent families.
‡ Income is taken to be net equivalent income: that is, adjusted for family size and composition.
║ Second wages of £4 a week or less have been ignored.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures showing the weekly rates of child support, national insurance child addition plus child benefit, with national insurance long-term benefits, in November of each year since 1979, including November 1985, at current and at November 1985 prices.
The combined weekly rates of child benefit plus child dependancy additions to national insurance long-term benefits in November of each year from 1979 were:
| £ | |
| 1979 | 11·10 |
| 1980 | 12·25 |
| 1981 | 12·95 |
| 1982 | 13·80 |
| 1983 | 14·10 |
| 1984 | 14·50 |