§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the recovered revenue for the last three tax years arising from priority creditorship in respect of(a) income tax, (b) corporation tax and (c) VAT. [59162]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 10 November 1998]: The only debts for which the Inland Revenue is preferential creditor are those relating to income tax payable under Pay As You Earn and under the subcontractors deduction scheme. Amounts of preferential debt recovered by the Inland Revenue's local offices—mainly in relation to the smaller cases—are not separately identifiable, but for the larger cases dealt with centrally by the Inland Revenue's Enforcement Office, the amounts recovered in respect of preferential debts for the last three years are:
- 1995–96: £32 million
- 1996–97: £39 million
- 1997–98: £31 million.
Amounts of VAT which Customs and Excise have recovered as preferential creditor for the last three years are:
- 1995–96: £32 million
- 1996–97: £48.5 million
- 1997–98: £51 million.