§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households were affected by the reduction of VAT on fuel in the 1997 Budget; and what is the average change in(a) electricity and (b) gas bills. [70673]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 15 February 1999]: Approximately 24½; million households benefited from the reduction of VAT on fuel.
The cut in the VAT rate on domestic fuel from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent. in September 1997 is estimated to have reduced the bill for a typical household in 1998 by £7.50 for electricity and by £9.00 for gas.
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