§ Ms Roseanna CunninghamTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for 1996–97 the amount of MIRAS spent in Scotland and for 1997–98 and 1998–99 the estimated amount to be spent on MIRAS in Scotland. [47975]
§ Dawn Primarolo[pursuant to her reply, 3 July 1998, c. 322]: The cost of mortgage interest relief in Scotland is estimated to be £180 million in 1996–97 and £200 million in 1997–98. The amount of relief given through the MIRAS—mortgage interest relief at source scheme—is estimated to be £170 million in 1996–97 and £190 million in 1997–98.
These estimates are based on the regional distribution of the cost of mortgage interest relief from analyses of family expenditure surveys up to 1996–97. The estimates for 1997–98 are projections based on applying the same regional distribution as in 1996–97 to the total figure for 1997–98. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates below United Kingdom level for 1998–99.