§ 7. Mr. Michael Jabez Foster (Hastings and Rye)When the Small Business Service payroll facilities will be available to small businesses in Hastings and Rye; and if fees will be charged. [115666]
§ The Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce (Ms Patricia Hewitt)Following extensive consultation with small businesses last year, the Inland Revenue has expanded its new enterprise support initiative to provide a payroll service from April 2000, free of charge to small businesses.
§ Mr. FosterI thank my hon. Friend for that response. In my constituency, small business has provided an enormous number of jobs over the past two and a half years, halving long-term unemployment and enabling two thirds of young people to be in work. That has all been achieved as a result of small business, because there is no big business in Hastings and Rye. Will the Inland Revenue be giving assistance with matters such as the working families tax credit within its payroll service?
§ Ms HewittMy hon. Friend is quite right. We have 100,000 more businesses now than we had in May 1997, and that is very welcome. The Inland Revenue will certainly be giving advice to small businesses on the 486 working families tax credit. Last week's Budget announced incentives to small businesses to go online, which will make it even easier for them to process their PAYE returns and to administer the working families tax credit and payroll generally.