HC Deb 28 February 2001 vol 363 c713W
Ms Kelly

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of families with children aged three or under pay the highest rate of income tax. [150998]

Dawn Primarolo

Of families with children aged three or under it is estimated that 15 per cent. pay higher-rate tax.

Mr. Sarwar

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changes to the tax system that have benefited working families since 1997. [151618]

Dawn Primarolo

The Government have put in place a series of measures aimed at families with children, including: record increases in Child Benefit, with a 26 per cent. real increase in the rate for the first child since 1997; the new Children's Tax Credit, worth up to £442 a year for around 5 million families from April 2001; the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit in October 1999, to make work pay for low and middle income working families with children.

These measures, together with the new 10p income tax band, the cut in the basic rate of income tax to 22p and reforms to National Insurance Contributions, mean that by April this year the tax burden on the typical family will be at its lowest level since 1972.