Working Families Tax Credit (Hansard, 21 June 2000)

§ Jane Griffiths
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to publicise the working families tax credit in Northern Ireland. [125496]

§ Dawn Primarolo
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon) on 9 February 2000,Official Report, column 215W.

§ Mr. Alexander
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many lone parents are benefiting from the working families tax credit. [126866]

§ Dawn Primarolo
The number of families in receipt of working families tax credit at the end of April 2000 is provisionally estimated at 1,053,000. Of these, it is estimated that 542,000 were headed by lone parents.
215W

§ Mr. Davidson
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is spent annually on the working families tax credit; and how much would be spent if the national minimum wage were raised to five pounds per hour. [125111]

§ Dawn Primarolo
Table C12 in the March 2000 Financial Statement and Budget Report shows estimated and projected expenditure on the working families tax credit (WFTC) and the disabled person's tax credit (DPTC).
It is not possible to estimate accurately the potential impact of raising the minimum wage on the labour market. No reliable estimate of its effect on WFTC expenditure can therefore be provided.