§ Mr. James Davidsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with reference to the Selective Employment Tax, he will give the estimated total of premiums as a proportion of the estimated total of payments, in each of the following areas for one financial year, that is to say, the Aberdeen area, as defined in The Scottish Economy 1965–70, Command Paper No. 2864, the Highland area, as defined in the same White Paper, Scotland, England, and Wales.
§ Mr. DiamondExcluding the public sector, premiums, as defined in paragraph 11 of Cmnd. 2986, as a proportion of total tax payments are estimated at about 68 per cent. in England, 63 per cent. in Wales, 60 per cent. in Scotland and 18 per cent. in the Highlands. An estimate306W for Aberdeen is not available, since figures for Employment Exchange areas do not distinguish between the categories in paragraph 10 of Cmnd. 2986.
The figure of total tax payments does of course include payments subsequently refunded as well as those forming part of premia.
§ Mr. Barnettasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the cost of exempting all part-time workers, for this purpose taking not more than 20 hours as part-time, from the Selective Employment Tax.
§ Mr. DiamondI would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) on 17th May.