§ Mr. Rookerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has made any estimate of the income tax raised on incomes below supplementary benefit assuming national averages for family size and expenditure.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonThe tax paid by those whose taxable income for the year was less than 52 times the corresponding average supplementary benefit level is estimated to be less than £20 million in 1977–78. Over half of this relates to single persons, many of whom are juveniles and others, working for only part of the year, whose weekly earnings while in work could well be substantially in excess of the average supplementary benefit level.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the reductions 354W in income tax following all changes in 1977 finance legislation for the following earnings levels, specifying separate figures for a single person, a married couple and a married couple with two children under 11 years of age: £2,000, £4,000, £6,000, £7,000, £7,700, £8,800, £9,200, £9,420, £10,000, £10,900, £11,200, £13,200, £15,000, £16,000, £18,675, £19,425, £19,675, £21,175, £23,000, £31,000, £35,000, and £63,000, showing in each case the gross pay equivalents of these changes on an annual, weekly and percentage basis.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the total number of people taken out of income tax following all changes in 1977–78; how many are consequently liable to income tax; and if he will distinguish between earning wives and others in his answer.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.