Written Answers To Questions
Friday, 27th March, 1953
National Insurance Benefits
asked the Minister of National Insurance if he will consider doubling the rates of benefit for Coronation week to those in receipt of benefits under the National Insurance Acts, including unemployed.
I am unable to do this for reasons similar to those given in my statements following the Question regarding old age pensioners put to me by the hon. Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. Chetwynd) on 23rd March.
National Finance
Official Report (Statistics)
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the average circulation of the daily and weekly HANSARD; and the profit or loss to the Treasury on their sale for the most convenient stated period.
The information is as follows:my hon. Friend on this subject on 30th October last.
Members' Salaries
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what gross income a Member of Parliament would have to receive today to enable him to obtain the equivalent in purchasing power of a Member of Parliament's net income, after tax deduction, of £391 in 1911–12, £582 in 1937–38, and £775 in 1946–47, using as the basis the normal tax reliefs allowed to a married man with one child.
| — | Net income after tax | Net income required in February 1953 to give the same purchasing power | Corresponding gross income (1) | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | |||||
| 1911–12 | … | … | … | … | 391 | 1,408 | 1,829 |
| 1937–38 | … | … | … | … | 582 | 1,330 | 1,705 |
| 1946–47 | … | … | … | … | 775 | 1,092 | 1,328 |
| (1) It has been assumed that a deduction of £100 would be allowed for expenses for the purpose of calculating the tax payable. | |||||||
National Debt
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the National Debt in terms per head of the estimated population for the years 1900, 1913, 1939, 1946, 1948, 1952 and 1953.
The required figures are:
| £ | |||
| 31st March, 1900 | … | … | 15 |
| 31st March, 1913 | … | … | 14 |
| 31st March, 1939 | … | … | 150 |
| 31st March, 1946 | … | … | 480 |
| 31st March, 1948 | … | … | 512 |
| 31st March, 1952 | … | … | 515 |
| The figure for 1953 is not yet available. | |||
Earned Income Relief
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the expected reduction in taxation received if the present maximum earned income relief were raised from £450 to £1,000 and were the whole of such relief applied to the income as calculated for both Income Tax and Surtax.
£40 million a year.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the expected reduction in taxation received if
The figures are as follows:the present earned income relief were extended also to the Income Tax calculated for Surtax.
£14 million in a full year.
Local Authority Building Acts
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that the present arrangement whereby many large cities have their own individual building Acts, and many local authorities have the right to vary their building regulations, adds costs and delays from the inception to completion of a building; and if he will look into this matter to see if uniformity, as is the rule in certain other countries, can be adopted here.
Only three local authorities outside London now control building solely by means of individual building Acts. Most authorities have made building byelaws based on the model series issued by my Ministry and these byelaws cannot be varied by the authorities once they have been confirmed, except with my consent. This procedure has resulted in a valuable growth of uniformity which, I hope will go further in the revision now proceeding.