§ Dame Irene Wardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on the Treasury if married persons' earned incomes were assessed separately.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanUnder Section 355 of the Income Tax Act, 1952, it is open to either partner to the marriage to apply for separate assesment, but this does not alter the total amount of tax payable by husband and wife together. If however, the law were changed so that a husband and wife who were both earning were taxed as two single persons the total tax payable in most cases would be increased. The net gain to the Exchequer might be of the order of £75 million but this would be reduced if the change led to a reduction in the number of married women in employment.