HC Deb 29 March 1979 vol 965 cc353-5W
Mrs. Kellett-Bowman

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report projects in Cumbria and projects of the North-West water authority, respectively, which have received assistance from (a) the EEC regional fund, (b) the EEC social fund, (c) the European Investment Bank and (d) the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, respectively.

Mr. Joel Barnett,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28 March 1979], gave the following information:

I regret that the only information readily available in respect of projects relating to Cumbria and the North-West water authority which have received assistance from Community funds concerns loans from the European Investment Bank. This information is as follows:

Mr. Joel Barnett,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 28 March 1979], gave the following information:

I regret that no information is readily available by constituency concerning projects which have received assistance from Community funds. The only information that is available relates to loans from the European Investment Bank to Lancashire. These are as follows:

to the Exchequer if the bands of income tax liability were reduced so that no one earning less than £2,000 paid tax, those from £2,001 to £5,000 paid tax at 30 per cent., those from £5,001 to £9,000 paid tax at 40 per cent., those from £9,001 to £12,000 paid tax at 50 per cent., those from £12,001 to £18,000 paid tax at 55 per cent., those from £18,001 to £25,000 paid tax at 60 per cent. and those above £25,000 paid tax at 70 per cent.; and what would be the savings in man hours of those who work in the Inland Revenue.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

If the main personal allowances were each equivalent to £2,000 and the tax were charged on all taxable income in successive slices at the rates proposed, the estimated cost, assuming no change in investment income surcharge, would be about £4,650 million in a full year at 1978–79 income levels. The staff savings resulting from changes of this magnitude are difficult to assess without a full study, but they would be offset by the substantial increase in the number of higher rate taxpayers.

Mr. David Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, based on the assumptions built into the Treasury model, what would be the estimated increase in jobs and investments resulting in a reduction of the top rate of income tax to 50 per cent.

Mr. Joel Barnett

I regret that I am unable to give the hon. Member the information he requests for reasons similar to those given to the hon. Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. Crawford) on 15 January.—[Vol. 960, c.669.]

Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average weekly amount of income tax paid by the average family in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what was the comparable total in 1973.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.