§ Mr. ColmanTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the introduction of an integrated tax and benefits system for the United Kingdom. [6481]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe Government are committed to further integration of the tax and benefit system to help achieve the following aims: tackling poverty; promoting incentives to work and save; maximising take up; targeting support on those who need it most; and improving customer service and increasing efficiency.
During the last Parliament, a number of reforms were put in place, including the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, the Children's Tax Credit and the Minimum Income Guarantee for pensioners. In the next stage of reform, the Government intend to introduce a new system of payable tax credits from 2003 which will help to support families, make work pay and tackle child 848W decision to join the single currency is the national economic interest, and whether the economic case is clear and unambiguous.