HC Deb 22 July 1987 vol 120 cc235-6W
Mr. Wigley

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount spent on mortgage tax relief in Wales, Scotland and each of the English regions in each financial year since 1979 both at outturn and 1987 prices.

Mr. Norman Lamont

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1987]; Estimates for the years 1979–80 to 1982–83 have been derived from the results of the survey of personal incomes and are given in the table.

Cost of mortgage interest relief
(£ million, outturn prices)
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83
Northern 55 80 70 95
Yorkshire and Humberside 100 160 150 160
North West 130 200 180 220
East Midlands 80 110 110 130
West Midlands 130 160 190 170
East Anglia 45 50 60 75
Greater London 220 280 290 260
Other South East 440 560 600 650
South West 100 140 170 140
Wales 45 65 80 80
Scotland 80 120 120 140
Northern Ireland 25 35 30 30
UNITED KINGDOM 1,450 1,960 2,050 2,150
Cost of mortgage interest relief
(£ million, 1987–88 prices)
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83
Northern 95 120 95 120
Yorkshire and Humberside 180 230 200 200
North West 220 300 240 270
East Midlands 140 170 150 160
West Midlands 230 240 250 210
East Anglia 75 75 80 90
Greater London 380 420 390 320
Other South East 760 830 800 820
South West 180 210 230 180
Wales 75 100 110 100
Scotland 140 180 160 180
Northern Ireland 45 50 40 40
UNITED KINGDOM 2,520 2,925 2,745 2,690

Following the introduction of MIRAS in April 1983, regional information on the cost of mortgage interest relief cannot be extracted from Inland Revenue records. The regional distribution of mortgage interest can be estimated from the "Family Expenditure Survey" but, as the sample size for the FES is relatively small, it is not possible to provide robust estimates of regional trends for the period after 1982–83. Accordingly, the following tables show the cost of mortgage interest relief in the United Kingdom from 1983–84 to 1987–88 with the percentage distribution of the relief by county and region, based on FES data from 1983 to 1985.

Cost of mortgage interest relief
(£ million)
Outturn prices 1987–88 prices
1983–84 2,750 3,290
1984–85 3,500 3,980
1985–86 4,500 4,830
1986–87 4,500 4,680
1987–88 4,750 4,750
Regional share of mortgage interest relief based on FES data for 1983 to 1985
per cent.
Northern 3.6
Yorkshire and Humberside 7.4
North West 9.4
East Midlands 6.5
West Midlands 8.1
East Anglia 3.4
Greater London 14.5
Other South East 26.9
South West 8.3
Wales 3.8
Scotland 6.8
Northern Ireland 1.3
UNITED KINGDOM 100.0

Mr. Grylls

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to enable Members of Parliament with various interests outside Parliament from which they earn income, to elect to be self employed as regards the whole of their income including Parliamentary salary; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norman Lamont

[pursuant to the reply, 20 July 1987]; No.