HC Deb 02 December 1999 vol 340 cc316-7W
Mr. Swayne

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of new pensioner couples who will be affected by the withdrawal of married tax allowances. [99085]

Dawn Primarolo

[holding answer 29 November 1999]: Today's pensioner couples will keep the married couples allowance. Any couple where at least one spouse is 65 or over before 6 April 2000 will continue to be able to claim the allowance. In addition, any new pensioner couples—single people aged 65 or over before 6 April 2000—who subsequently marry will be able to start claiming the allowance after they marry.