§ Mr. Gordon BrownTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the reduction in income tax liability as a result of the introduction of independent taxation in its first full year of operation for(a) the top 1 per cent, of taxpayers, (b) the top 5 per cent, of taxpayers, (c) the top 10 per cent, of taxpayers, (d) the bottom 70 per cent, of taxpayers, (e) the bottom 60 per cent, of taxpayers, (f) the bottom 50 per cent, of taxpayers, (g) the bottom 30 per cent, of taxpayers and (h) the bottom 10 per cent, of taxpayers, with the percentages defined by reference to the joint income of husband and wife.
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 20 June 1988]: Estimates are given in the table. The first column gives the reduction for quantiles of all married couples and single people liable to income tax and the second column gives quantiles based on married couples only. The quantiles in these two columns are defined by the total income of each current tax unit, that is counting a married couple as one unit. The third column gives the reduction in liability for husbands and wives (counted separately) who are liable to income tax on the basis of their own income. The quantiles in this column are calculated by reference to the income of each individual. This approach is more appropriate for analysing the income tax reductions of independent taxation than approaches in which the incomes of married couples are combined. Reductions in income tax liability relate to a full year at 1990–91 projected levels of income. The 1988 Budget proposals for income tax rates and allowances have been indexed to 1990–91 according to the statutory formula.
These figures do not include the marketing costs on sales of Government shareholdings (some £44,616,000 including VAT in 1987–88) which are financed from the sales proceeds.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the estimated expenditure by the Treasury on press and public relations during 1988–89.
§ Mr. Brooke[holding answer 21 July 1988]: The estimated expenditure for the current year is £586,515.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the number of staff presently employed in the press and public relations office of the Treasury.
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§ Mr. Brooke[holding answer 21 July 1988]: The number of press and public relations staff employed in the Treasury on 1 July 1988 was 11.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the number of staff presently employed on press and public relations duties by those parts of the former Management and Personnel Office for which he now has responsibility.
§ Mr. Peter Brooke[holding answer 25 July 1988]: Nil.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the estimated expenditure on press and public relations during 1988–89 by those parts of the former Management and Personnel Office for which he now has responsibility.
§ Mr. Brooke[holding answer 25 July 1988]: Nil.