HC Deb 23 January 1987 vol 108 cc783-4W
Dr. McDonald

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will detail the proportions of pre and post-tax increases, including national insurance contributions, paid to the top 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 3 per cent., 4 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent., 20 per cent., 30 per cent., 50 per cent., and 75 per cent. of taxpayers in 1978–79 and the latest available year; and what this represents in money terms.

Mr. Norman Lamont

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Civil Service non-industrial accredited union representatives Estimates of numbers with paid time off for industrial relations duties and trade union activities (1 June 1986) Table 1—percentage of time off
Department Under 5 per cent. 6–10 11–20 21–30 31–40 41–50 51–60 61–70 71–80 81–90 91–99 100 Total number involved
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 599 34 14 5 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 6 663
Customs and Excise 552 109 47 32 14 13 6 6 5 15 1 1 801
Ministry of Defence 834 197 125 19 12 13 6 4 4 0 0 25 1,239
Department of Employment Group (exc. PSA) 1,527 341 185 38 24 10 8 2 1 1 0 14 2,151
Department of Environment-Transport 386 91 51 5 4 5 3 2 3 0 0 14 564
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (incl. Overseas Development Administration) 49 7 2 2 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 7 72
DHSS 1,629 643 235 81 44 31 19 27 35 32 27 62 2,865
Home Office (incl. Prison Department) 819 183 168 47 10 1 1 4 5 3 2 11 1,254
Department of Trade and Industry 357 50 26 16 2 5 3 3 1 3 4 7 477
Inland Revenue 1,935 292 122 42 26 17 10 3 4 2 3 9 2,465
Lord Chancellor's Department 53 29 30 10 3 3 2 1 2 0 0 8 141
Department of National Savings 0 13 3 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 13 33
PSA (incl. Crown Suppliers) 365 60 32 5 2 3 2 0 0 0 0 4 473
Scottish Office (incl. General Register Office (Scotland), Scottish Record Office and Scottish Prison Service 180 38 16 5 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 8 250
Other Government Departments 561 137 70 25 17 14 2 2 4 1 2 24 859
Total 9,846 2,224 1,126 332 164 117 68 56 65 57 39 213 14,307

Table 2—Costs of non-industrial union elected representatives
Department Total number expressed or whole time equivalent Cost in salaries wages and direct benefit £ million Cost as percentage of wage bill Total number of non-Industrial staff 1 July 1986
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 22 0.29 0.20 10,186
Customs and Excise 84 1.01 0.31 25,109

Mr. Tim Smith

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost of issuing an income tax return form for every taxpayer every year.

Mr. Norman Lamont

[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1987, c. 412–13]: About £9 million a year, once PAYE is fully computerised, for all employed and self-employed people known to the Revenue. The additional cost of examining these returns would depend on the amount of follow-up work to be done, but it would be considerable.