HC Deb 06 February 1976 vol 904 cc774-6W
Mr. Lawrence

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost paid or owing out of public funds to date in respect of subsidies, writings off, actual or prospective, and other losses in respect of all the nationalised industries.

Mr. Dell

Following is the information. The amounts in the first column are payments by central Government to the industries except where otherwise indicated.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

Mr. David Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the estimated saving in administrative costs of the customs and Excise of raising the threshold of VAT from £5,000 to, respectively, £7,000, £9,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000 and £25,000 per annum.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

It is not possible to estimate with any reasonable accuracy the number of registered traders who might seek deregistration if the VAT exemption limit were raised to a particular level. I regret that for this reason the information requested is not available.

Mr. David Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the estimated loss of VAT revenue if the threshold were raised, respectively, from £5,000 to £7,000, £9,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000 and £25,000 per annum.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

The losses of revenue would probably be about the following:

Exemption Limit Estimated Loss of Revenue (£ million)
£7,000 15
£9,000 35
£10,000 40
£15,000 75
£20,000 95
£25,000 110

Mr. David Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total yield of VAT from the caravan sector for the months of July, October and December 1974 and for the months of July, October and December 1975.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

I regret that the information is not available. Analysis of VAT receipts by sector is available only by reference to the VAT trade classification. There is no identifiable caravan sector, because the statistics for the distribution, repair and servicing of caravans cannot be separated from those for the distribution, repair and servicing of motor vehicles.

Mr. David Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total of VAT levied from the boat building sector for the months July, October and December 1974 and for the months July, October and December 1975.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

I regret that the information is not available. Analysis of VAT receipts by sector is available only by reference to the VAT trade classification. For this purpose boat building is part of the shipbuilding, boat building and marine engineering industry.