§ 19. Mr. LeggTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact on the United Kingdom economy of the level of taxation in the United Kingdom relative to that in other major EU countries. [14191]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightThe overall burden of taxation on the economy in the United Kingdom was 35.75 per cent. of GDP in 1995–96. This represents one of the very lowest levels in Europe and is below that of France, Germany and Italy.
The Government are committed to low taxation and a tax system that raises revenue in ways that do least damage to the economy and encourage enterprise.