HC Deb 15 January 1976 vol 903 cc217-8W
Mr. Sedgemore

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial calculations of taxation derived from and public expenditure incurred in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the standard English regions have been prepared subsequent to the calculations in the Kilbrandon Report; and if he will publish these in the Official Report.

Mr. Joel Barnett

A number of estimates have been made and published in theOfficial Report in answers to Questions. In addition, estimates are given regularly in Government statistical publications, notably the "Scottish Abstract of Statistics", the "Digest of Welsh Statistics", the "Northern Ireland Digest of Statistics" and "Regional Statistics".

It would not be appropriate to reproduce in the Official Report all the estimates made over such a wide field.

Mr. Sedgemore

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what statistical information on regional and local yields of various taxes was provided by the Treasury, Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise to the Layfield Committee of Inquiry into the future of local government finance; and if he will publish this in the Official Report.

Mr. Joel Barnett

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the publication of the Committee's Report, which I expect to be fairly soon.

Mr. Sedgemore

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he can give figures or estimates of tax revenues from income tax and social security contributions as a percentage of GNP at market prices for the United Kingdom for the years 1974 and 1975;

(2) if he can give figures or estimates of tax revenues from direct taxes, including social security contributions, as a percentage of GNP at market prices for the United Kingdom for the years 1974 and 1975;

(3) if he can give the figures or estimates of tax revenues from direct and indirect taxation as a percentage of GNP at market prices for the United Kingdom for the years 1974 and 1975.

Mr. Denzil Davies

The figures avail able for 1975 relate to the first three quarters only.They are based on sea sonally adjusted estimates.

PERCENTAGES OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT MARKET PRICES
First three quarters
1974 1975
Income tax 10.9 13.1
Direct taxes* 15.8 16.5
Indirect taxes† 13.8 13.4
Social security contributions‡ 6.1 6.6
Income tax and social security contributions 17.0 19.7
Direct taxes and social security contributions 21.9 23.1
Direct taxes, indirect taxes and social security contributions 35.7 36.5
* Taxes on income and capital, as defined in the national accounts.
† Taxes on expenditure, as defined in the national accounts.
‡ National insurance, health, and Redundancy Fund contributions.

These figures are not comparable with those used in the international comparisons published in the December 1975 issue of Economic Trends, giving estimates for the years 1969–73. In that article the base of the percentages was gross national product at factor cost, and all the figures were adjusted on to inter national definitions.