§ Mrs. Ann Taylorasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an estimate (a) of the total cost of tax relief on mortgage interest payments for 1982–83 for England at both expected outturn prices and 1980 survey prices and (b) of the cost per mortgagor and per owner-occupied dwelling for 1982–83 at outturn and 1980 survey prices.
§ Mr. RidleyProvisional estimates in cash terms are as follows:
Tax relief for mortgage interest, England, 1982–83 Total Cost Cost per mortgagor receiving tax relief Cost per owner-occupied dwelling £ million £ £ 1950 375 190 It is not appropriate to express these amounts in 1980 survey prices. I refer to the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the right hon. Member for Stepney and Poplar (Mr. Shore) on 31 March.—[Vol. 21, c. 124.]
378WApril 1982 were £181.2 million. Of this £178.4 million were advances to finance departmental working balances over the turn of the financial year, £2.3 million was in respect of a payment to the budget of the European Communities, about which a statement was made to Parliament by the Lord Privy Seal on 3 February 1982—[Vol. 17, c. 305]—and the remainder was for expenditure in excess of voted provision in 1981–82 for which Parliament will be asked to approve excess votes in due course.
There has been no change in policy in connection with the use of the Contingencies Fund during the present Government