§ 43. Dame Irene Wardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people he estimates would be affected by restoring the 1955–56 bands of Income Tax payments with a ceiling of £600 gross income per annum; and what would be the cost.
§ Mr. SimonCounting the joint income of husband and wife as one, about 8 million taxpayers have incomes under £600 and it would cost nearly £40 million to restore the lowest reduced rate band of £100 to them.
§ Dame Irene WardWould my hon. and learned Friend bear in mind that it was considered, at the time the operation was made, in 1956, that those in the lower income groups got a worse deal out of that Budget, and that it was regarded as a particularly unfortunate cut for people in the lower income groups? As my hon. and learned Friend is anxious to help these people, will he see what he can do to make conditions better?
§ Mr. SimonThere was no cut at all. All taxpayers benefited by the remissions of taxation given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Mr. P. Thorneycroft).