§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of central Government revenue was raised by indirect taxation in the latest year for which figures are available; if he will give a breakdown from each tax; and what information he has on the corresponding figures for the other member states of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Norman LamontCentral Government taxes are classified in Government accounts as income and expenditure taxes and not as direct and indirect taxes. Expenditure taxes are broadly similar to indirect taxes. The latest information on central Government revenue from expenditure taxes is published in table 7.2 of the 1989 edition of "United Kingdom National Accounts" (the CSO Blue Book). Latest comparable information as is available for member states of the European Community can be obtained from the 1989 OECD annual publication, "Revenue Statistics of OECD Member countries". Figures are given for individual countries with taxes defined in table G.
Figures of total indirect taxes for OECD countries were also published in table F of the article, "International Comparisons of Taxes and Social Security Contributions in 20 OECD Countries 1976–86", in the January 1989 issue of "Economic Trends" (No. 423).