§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the average amount a taxpayer in the United Kingdom contributed through direct and indirect taxes to the budget of the Ministry of Defence for each year since 1978–79; and what estimate he has of the level of such contribution in 1987–88.
§ Mr. Norman Lamont[holding answer 18 March 1988]: Tax revenues are not hypothecated to particular programmes. The following table shows defence expenditure per income taxpayer and per head of population.
99W
Defence1 expenditure Number of3 taxpayers Expenditure per taxpayer United Kingdom4 population Expenditure per head of population £ million million £ 000s £ 1981–82 12,553 24.8 506 56,352 223 1982–83 14,364 24.6 584 56,306 255 1983–84 15,474 24.3 637 56,347 275 1984–85 17,187 23.8 722 56,460 304 1985–86 17,954 23.9 751 56,618 317 1986–87 18,149 24.1 753 56,763 320 1987–88 18,6422 24.7 755 n/a n/a Notes: 1 As in public expenditure White Paper. 2 Forecast outturn on defence votes as given in Supply Estimates 1988–89 (Cm. 328). 3 From Inland Revenue Statistics 1987. Figures for 1984–85 onwards are provisional. 4 From Annual Abstract of Statistics 1988. Estimates for mid-calendar years.
§ Mr. Andrew BowdenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of elderly homeowners who received tax relief on loans for home improvements in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI regret that this information is not available.