§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent representations he has received from the British Association of Retired Persons urging the exemption of widows' pensions from taxation;
(2) what recent representations he has received from the British Association of Retired Persons, urging that the tax burden on widows be relieved or reduced.
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§ Mr. Robert SheldonThe British Association of Retired Persons wrote to my right hon. Friend before his Budget about the tax burden on the elderly retired, but he has no record of any recent representations from them relating specifically to the tax burden on widows.
§ Mr. Newtonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the respective revenue costs of allowing (a)all widows and (b)employed or self-employed widows an additional personal tax allowance equal to half the difference between the single person's allowance and the married man's allowance.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28th March 1977; Vol. 929, c. 38], gave the following information:
The estimated cost of an additional allowance of £210, which is half the difference between the single and married person's allowances proposed for 1977–78, would be about £50 million, if given to all widows, or £27 million if given only to employed or self-employed widows. If those already receiving the additional personal allowance were excluded the costs would be some £5 million, and £4 million lower.