§ Mr. Craigenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of income forgone by the Treasury in each of the past four years for which figures are available as a consequence of income tax relief on mortgage interest.
§ Mr. Ridley[pursuant to his reply, 29 June 1983, c. 87]: Estimates of the cost of mortgage interest tax relief—as published, for example, in table 4.7 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans, 1983–84 to 1985–86, Vol. 2"—are as follows:
Index numbers (1978–79=100) Financial Year Public expenditure (planning total) General index of retail prices Index of industrial Producion Wages, salaries and income from self-employment 1978–79 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 1979–80 117.0 115.8 102.4 118.7 1980–81 141.2 134.7 93.6 135.9 1981–82 159.3 150.2 91.2 144.7 1982–83 171.9 160.8 92.2 154.2