Family Income Miss Richardson asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each year since 1945–46, including 1980–81, assuming the changes announced in the Budget, at constant prices, the tax-free income, including, where relevant, child benefit, of: a single person, a childless couple, a couple with one child aged --------- | | --------- |1945–46| --------- |1946–47| --------- |1947–48| --------- |1948–49| --------- |1949–50| --------- |1950–51| --------- |1951–52| --------- |1952–53| --------- |1953–54| --------- |1954–55| --------- |1955–56| --------- |1956–57| --------- |1957–58| --------- |1958–59| --------- |1959–60| --------- |1960–61| --------- |1961–62| --------- |1962–63| --------- |1963–64| --------- |1964–65| --------- |1965–66| --------- |1966–67| --------- |1967–68| --------- |1968–69| --------- |1969–70| --------- |1970–71| --------- |1971–72| --------- |1972–73| --------- |1973–74| --------- |1974–75| --------- |1975–76| --------- |1976–77| --------- |1977–78| --------- |1978–79| --------- |1979–80| --------- |1980–81| --------- The price index used in the General Index of Retail Prices—all items—and the index given in Table 2 of the publication "The Internal Purchasing Power of the Pound", issued by the Central Statistical Office, with an estimate for 1945–46. The indices refer to financial years except for 1979–80, for which the October 1979 figure has been used, and 1980–81, for which a figure 161 per cent. higher than October 1979 has been used. 16½ per cent. is the forecast change in the RPI between fourth quarter 1979 and fourth quarter 1980. The tax-free incomes under 11 years, a couple with two children aged under 11 years, a couple with one child aged under and one over 11 years and a couple with four children, two aged under and two aged over 11 years. Mr. Peter Rees [pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1980]: The figures are as follows:for 1977–78 to 1980–81 include child benefit in the incomes of married couples where appropriate. For earlier years, they take account of earned income relief and family allowance deduction—clawback—where appropriate. The tax-free income is therefore the amount of income, including child benefit or family allowance, which can be received before liability to tax arises. The comparison over the years since 1976–77 for families is affected by the replacement of child tax allowances and family allowance by child benefit. Miss Richardson asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update to 1980–81 the figures he gave in the Official Report, 22nd January, c. 177–8, in the light of the changes announced in the Budget. Mr. Peter Rees [pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1980]: I regret that figures of average earnings in 1980–81 on the same basis as in the previous answer will not be available until early next year.