§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was was the revenue raised by the taxation as a benefit of company cars in each of the past 10 years; and if he will estimate the likely yield for 1985–86;
(2) if he will consider raising the threshold to £10,000 for the taxation of company cars; and if he will estimate the ensuing change in annual revenue.
§ Mr. Moore[pursuant to his reply, 28 March 1985]: Estimates of the yield accruing each year since 1977–78 (when the scale charges were introduced as the basis of taxation) from taxing the benefit of company cars available for private use are shown as follows. I regret that information for earlier years is not readily available.
£ million 1977–78 60 1978–79 65 1979–80 70 1980–81 85 1981–82 115 1982–83 *140 1983–84 *†275 1984–85 †‡330 1985–86 †‡385 * Revised † Includes yield from taxation of car fuel benefit ‡ Provisional I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion for an increase to £10,000 in the earnings threshold, below which this 504W benefit is not taxed on employees. Such an increase, applied to car and car fuel benefit would cost about £40 million in a full year at 1985–86 levels.