§ Mr. Leeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimates of the value of liquid assets required to yield investment incomes of £2,000, £3,000, £4,000 and £5,000, per annum respectively; and what percentage of the total of the United Kingdom taxpayers are known to be in possession of assets capable of yielding investment incomes of between £1,000 and £5,000 per annum.
§ Dr. GilbertThere is no single rate of return on liquid assets. But taking, for illustrative purposes, a rate of return of 10½ per cent., the rate currently obtainable on bank deposits in excess of £10,000, the figures are as follows:
Year Assets required £ £ 2,000 19,048 3,000 28,571 4,000 38,095 5,000 47,619 Information about holdings of assets by taxpayers is incomplete, but about 3 per cent. of taxpayers actually have investment incomes of between £1,000 and £5,000 a year.