HC Deb 11 March 1980 vol 980 cc539-40W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply dated 14 January concerning tax on privately-owned housing, whether he will publish information in the Official Report showing (a) the rental value of a basic housing unit in each region and the amount of Schedule A tax which would be payable at the standard rate on the assumptions given and (b) the amount by which (i) the standard rate or (ii) the threshold of the basic rate band could be reduced or lifted if Schedule A tax was thus restored.

Mr. Peter Rees

I regret that the information given in my reply of 14 January 1980—[Vol. 976, cc.633–34]—is not available in regional form.

It is estimated that in a full year at 1979–80 income levels either (i) a reduction of about 3ip in the basic rate of income tax or, alternatively, (ii) the raising of the basic rate band threshold by about £250 would cost £1,850 million, the estimated net yield of a "Schedule A" tax on the assumptions given.