§ Mr. JoplingTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to compensate taxpayers in the event of delays in repaying claims to them, as a result of the extra claims stemming from the move to independent taxation for husbands and wives.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe normal rules for payment of interest on overpaid tax will apply.
The Inland Revenue is setting up new offices around the country specifically to deal with the very substantial increase in claims for repayment of tax arising from independent taxation and the changes in the taxation of bank and building society interest. Estimates of the number of claimants are inevitably uncertain but the measures taken should ensure that repayment claims are processed with the minimum possible delay.
§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of people who have been reclassified by the Inland Revenue from schedule D to schedule E status since 1979.
§ Mr. MaudeI regret there is insufficient information available centrally to enable a reliable estimate to be made.