Written Answers
Income Tax, National Insurance And Welfare Benefits
asked Her Majesty's Government:What would have been (
a) the sums deductible by way of income tax and National Insurance and ( b) the entitlements under all national welfare benefit schemes, of a married man in full-time employment, and with three school-age children, earning the following weekly gross sums on the last day of each of the following years (making reasonable and stated assumptions regarding rent and rate commitments):
- 1960–£10.40 and £12.30;
- 1968–£15.20 and £18.10;
- 1970–£15.50 and £19.80;
- 1971–£20.90 and £24.80;
- 1972–£21.20 and £25.50;
- 1973–£24.60 and £29.80;
- 1974–£28.70 and £34.40;
- 1975–£38.80 and £44.10.
I regret that information in the form and for the whole of the period requested and on the assumptions quoted (including those relating to the size of the family) would involve disproportionate expense to produce.The tables below have been extracted from information which is readily available.
| TABLE 1—Married couple with 2 children (aged 4 and 6) earning half average wages. | |||||||||||
| Year | Gross earnings | Sums deductible | Benefits payable | ||||||||
| Tax | NI | FAM | FIS1 | Rent2 | Rent3 rebate | Rates4 | Rate5 rebate | Free school meals | Free Welfare milk | ||
| 1970 | £15·95 | 0·23 | 1·20 | 0·90 | — | 2·28 | 0·59 | 0·76 | — | 0·45 | 0·18 |
| 1971 | £17·35 | 0·04 | 1·27 | 0·90 | 0·90 | 2·55 | 0·15 | 0·85 | — | 0·60 | 0·39 |
| 1972 | £20·25 | — | 1·43 | 0·90 | 0·50 | 2·84 | 1·45 | 0·95 | 0·19 | 0·60 | 0 39 |
| 1973 | £22·75 | 0·66 | 1·51 | 0·90 | 0·20 | 3·56 | 2·81 | 1·19 | 0·28 | 0·60 | 0·39 |
| 1974 | £28·40 | 1·46 | 1·82 | 0·90 | — | 3·91 | 2·86 | 1·46 | 1·04 | — | — |
| 1975 | £34·35 | 3·24 | 1·89 | 1·50 | — | 4·33 | 3·22 | 1·73 | 1·24 | 0·75 | 0·60 |
| TABLE 2—Married couple with 2 children (aged 4 and 6) earning 2/3 average wages. | |||||||||||
| Year | Gross earnings | Sums deductible | Benefits payable | ||||||||
| Tax | NI | FAM | FIS1 | Rent2 | Rent3 rebate | Rates4 | Rate5 rebate | Free school meals | Free Welfare milk | ||
| 1970 | £21·27 | 1·93 | 1·42 | 0·90 | — | 2·28 | — | 0·76 | — | — | — |
| 1971 | £23·13 | 1·78 | 1·55 | 0·90 | — | 2·55 | — | 0·85 | — | — | — |
| 1972 | £27·00 | 1·94 | 1·76 | 0·90 | — | 2·84 | 0·40 | 0·95 | — | — | — |
| 1973 | £30·33 | 2·94 | 1·91 | 0·90 | — | 3·56 | 1·37 | 1·19 | — | — | — |
| 1974 | £37·87 | 4·59 | 2·32 | 0·90 | — | 3·91 | 1·09 | 1·46 | 0·43 | — | — |
| 1975 | £45·80 | 7·25 | 2·52 | 1·50 | — | 4·33 | 1·13 | 1·73 | 0·52 | — | — |
NOTES TO TABLES:
1. FAMILY INCOME SUPPLEMENT commenced in August 1971.
2. & 4. The figures used for rent and rates are average Local Authority levels.
3. The national rent rebate scheme commenced in 1972. The rebate figures given for 1970 and 1971 are examples of a typical local authority scheme.
5. The first national rate rebate scheme commenced in 1967. It was restructured on the basis of the rent rebate scheme in 1974.
asked Her Majesty's Government:What would have been (
a) the sums deductible by way of income tax and national insurance (assuming exercise of the married woman's option) and ( b) the entitlements under all national welfare benefit schemes, of a separated woman in full-time employment (but receiving no maintenance payments) and with two school-age children, earning the following weekly gross sums on the last day of each of the following years (making reasonable and stated assumptions regarding rent and rate commitments):
- 1960– £5·50 and £6·40;
- 1968– £7·80 and £9·10;
- 1970– £7·90 and £10·10;
- 1971–£11·10 and £13·00;
- 1972–£11·30 and £13·50;
- 1973–£13·10 and £15·70;
- 1974–£15·70 and £18·80;
- 1975–£21·20 and £25·80.
I regret that information in the form and for the whole of the period requested and on the assumptions quoted (including those relating to the size of the family) would involve disproportionate expense to produce.The tables below have been extracted form information which is readily available.
| TABLE 1—Separated woman with 1 child (aged 3) earning half average (male) wages. | |||||||||||
| Year | Gross earnings | Sums deductible | Benefits payable | ||||||||
| Tax | NI* | FAM | FIS1 | Rent2 | Rent3 rebate | Rates4 | Rate5 rebate | Free school meals | Free Welfare milk | ||
| 1970 | £15·95 | 0·83 | 1·07 | — | — | 2·24 | — | 0·75 | — | — | — |
| 1971 | £17·35 | 0·91 | 1·14 | — | 0·40 | 2·51 | — | 0·84 | — | — | 0·39 |
| 1972 | £20·2- | 0·78 | 1·30 | — | — | 2·76 | 1·19 | 0·92 | — | — | — |
| 1973 | £22·75 | 1·49 | 1·38 | — | — | 3·44 | 2·31 | 1·15 | — | — | — |
| 1974 | £28·40 | 2·74 | 1·69 | — | — | 3·82 | 2·19 | 1·43 | 0·82 | — | — |
| 1975 | £34·35 | 3·98 | 1·89 | — | — | 4·14 | 2·43 | 1·66 | 0·98 | — | — |
| TABLE 2—Separated woman with 1 child (aged 3) earning 2/3 average (male) wages. | |||||||||||
| Year | Gross earnings | Sums deductible | Benefits payable | ||||||||
| Tax | NI* | FAM | FIS | Rent2 | Rent3 rebate | Rates4 | Rate5 rebate | Free school meals | Free Welfare milk | ||
| 1970 | £21·27 | 2·54 | 1·29 | — | — | 2·24 | — | 0·75 | — | — | — |
| 1971 | £23·13 | 2·65 | 1·42 | — | — | 2·51 | — | 0·84 | — | — | — |
| 1972 | £27·00 | 2·81 | 1·63 | — | — | 2·76 | — | 0·92 | — | — | — |
| 1973 | £30·33 | 3·76 | 1·78 | — | — | 3·44 | 0·94 | 1·15 | — | — | — |
| 1974 | £37·87 | 5·86 | 2·19 | — | — | 3·82 | 0·58 | 1·43 | 0·25 | — | — |
| 1975 | £45·80 | 7·99 | 2·52 | — | — | 4·14 | 0·49 | 1·66 | 0·29 | — | — |
NOTES TO TABLES:
1. FAMILY INCOME SUPPLEMENT commenced in August 1971.
2 & 4. The figures used for rent and rates are average Local Authority levels.
3. The national rent rebate scheme commenced in 1972. The rebate figures given for 1970 and 1971 are examples of a typical local authority scheme.
5. The first national rate rebate scheme commenced in It was restructured on the basis of the rent rebate scheme in 1974.
* Standard rate contributions not reduced rate.
Chile: Payments For Submarines
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is true that Chile is £16 million in arrears on its payments for two "Oberon" class submarines; what loss if any this has caused to public funds as a result of Export Credit Guarantees; and whether in this and similar cases where arms are supplied by commercial concerns in Britain to other countries a check is made whether those countries have genuine defence needs for complex weapons and the capacity to pay.
Under the United Kingdom/Chile Debt Agreements of 1972 and 1974 (Cmnd. 5209 and 5922) debts due from Chile to the United Kingdom maturing in 1972, 1973 and 1974 were re-scheduled. Payments under the bank loan for the submarines were included in those Agreements; currently there are no arrears in payments under that loan. Each request for the supply of arms to other countries is considered individually in the light of all relevant political, military, economic and strategic factors.
Highway Inquiries Procedure
asked Her Majesty's Government:Which Ministries or Departments are responsible for highway inquiries and their reform.
It is intended that the functions prescribed in the first Schedule to the Highways Act 1959, which include the holding of local inquiries into draft highways schemes and orders, will be exercised jointly by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for the Environment. An order giving effect to these arrangements, which are designed to preserve the existing links which need to be maintained between transport, land-use planning and other environmental considerations, and to other arrangements arising from the setting up of the Department of Transport will be laid before the House shortly. Similarly, the highways inquiries procedures will be reviewed jointly in consultation with the Council on Tribunals.
Vehicle Noise Control
asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements exist to check and control excessive noise from the exhausts of motor cycles, cars and other vehicles in urban areas.
The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1973, which are enforceable by the police, prescribe maximum permitted noise levels for all classes of vehicles, and make it an offence to use a vehicle with an inefficient silencer or in a manner which causes excessive noise.House adjourned at eight minutes after midnight.