HC Deb 16 March 1978 vol 946 cc342-3W
Mr. Ralph

Howell asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss of revenue in 1977–78 if married person's tax allowance were replaced by two single person's tax allowances, each worth £1,200, and which for married couples could be set against the income of either the man or wife.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

If the single allowance were increased to £1,200 so that the value of two single allowances became equivalent to the combined value of the single and married allowances at their present level, and if the age allowances were similarly altered so that the single age allowance became £1,615, the total cost would be about £2,700 million.