§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to increase the special tax allowance given to blind 780W yield would have been if it had risen with the retail price index from the first year onwards; and if he will give similar figures relating to the total proceeds of taxation.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25th January 1978; Vol. 942, c. 598], gave the following information:
The table below shows the actual and estimated receipts into the consolidated fund from income tax and total central Government taxation together with what would have been raised if receipts had risen in line with the retail prices index. No figure is yet available for the growth in RPI in 1977–78 compared with 1976–77.
persons in 1962, with a view to restoring its purchasing power to the original value at the time it was fixed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesMy right hon. Friend will be reviewing tax allowances generally prior to his spring Budget. I doubt whether increasing this allowance is necessarily the best way to help blind people generally, since many blind people are not taxpayers, or do not pay enough tax to benefit from a larger allowance.