§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual income after tax of those currently earning average wages in the following groups (a) manual (b) non-manual and (c) all occupations.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe figures depend on the level of tax allowances. For a single man and a married man with no allowances after tax other than the ordinary personal allowance, the figures are:
remained at their 1976–77 level, what would have been the revenue forgone in each of the following years; 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80 and 1980–81; and what would have been the total revenue lost over the whole period.
§ Mr. Peter ReesThe costs would have been about £490 million on 1977–78 incomes, £810 million on 1978–79 incomes and £1,200 million on 1979–80 incomes. The cost over the three-year period would therefore have totalled about £2,500 million. The cost in 1980–81 would depend on income levels and tax rates in that year. In so far as the tax on the income of a year is not wholly received in that year, the effect on receipts of tax would be rather less than the figures quoted.