§ Mr. Skeetasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what subsidies are paid to British Railways and what are paid to other rail systems in the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have been asked to reply.
There are wide variations between the arrangements for financial support to rail systems in each of the member countries of the EEC—for example, in the treatment of infrastructure, pensions and non-passenger traffic—and accurate comparisons are difficult to make. Nevertheless, a broad comparison of subsidy levels may be obtained from the third Commission report to the Council on the
Year of Assessment Year of account * Child 4–6 Child 7–11 Child 12–15 Adult: Children over 16 Percentage change (adult rate) Percentage change in RP! 1982–83 1981–82 276 564 720 960 9.6 — 1981–82 1980–81 252 516 642 876 17.7 16.3 1980–81 1979–80 220 440 556 744 17.0 15.8 1979–80 1978–79 190 380 480 636 8.2 8.3 1978–79 1977–78 176 353 442 588 19.5 14.0 1977–78 1976–77 148 296 370 492 13.9 15.3 1976–77 1975–76 130 260 324 432 20.0 24.6 1975–76 1974–75 108 216 270 360 30.9 17.9 1974–75 1973–74 80 160 200 275 25.0 10.4 1973–74 1972–73 66 132 165 220 22.2 7.1 1972–73 1971–72 no record no record no record 180 — — * accounting period ending in
§ Sir John Edenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he gives to the Commissioners for Inland Revenue concerning the adjustment for board and lodging of hotel and guest house proprietors who are resident on the premises; and to what extent tax commissioners have discretion.
§ Sir Geoffrey Howe[pursuant to his reply, 12 February 1982, c. 502]: None. An appropriate adjustment is normally negotiated locally between the inspector of taxes and representatives of the proprietors. Such an adjustment is not binding and a proprietor who disagrees with it retains the right of appeal to the independent appeal commissioners.