§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the lower income tax threshold; and what is the marginal rate of income tax at that threshold, in each of the EC member states.
§ Mr. MaudeEstimates based on the latest available information are given in the table. Unless otherwise stated the figures relate to 1991.
The threshold is the amount of gross income below which no tax is payable; the mariginal rate is the rate of tax charged on the first unit of taxable income.
Rates and thresholds relate to a single person, and to income from employment only. Standard deductions available to all employees have been taken into account.
Thresholds have been converted from local currencies into £ sterling using the latest available OECD purchasing power parities.
Country Threshold Marginal tax rate at threshold £ Per cent. Belgium 3,477 125 Denmark 1,980 152.8 France 5,339 19 Germany 2,512 19.7 Greece 2,502 18 Ireland (1991–92) 2,438 29 Italy 2,935 10 Luxembourg 5,035 10 Netherlands 1,173 13 Portugal 2,836 15 Spain 4,407 25 United Kingdom (1991–92) 3,295 25 1 Includes local income tax.