Company Tax (Hansard, 1 November 2001)

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held with the Secretary of State for 801W Trade and Industry regarding the European Commission's proposals for a single consolidated company tax base announced in Brussels on 23 October. [11203]

§ Dawn Primarolo
The Government's position is that tax harmonisation, including proposals for a consolidated company tax base, is not the way forward for Europe.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he supports the European Commission's plans for a consolidated EU company tax base announced in Brussels on 23 October. [11200]

§ Dawn Primarolo
Tax harmonisation, including proposals for a consolidated company tax base, is not the way forward for Europe. The Government will not support any action at European level that will threaten jobs or the competitive position of British business.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the need for further EU-level reforms of company taxation to achieve the economic goals established at the Lisbon European Council of March 2000. [11210]

§ Dawn Primarolo
The Government's view is that company tax issues need to be considered in the context of the economic goals established at the Lisbon European Council and the business agenda agreed at the Stockholm European Council, which means reducing unfair state aids, acting against unfair tax competition, promoting R and D and innovation, a better, simpler regulatory environment and boosting skills.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the European Commission's proposals for the introduction of a consolidated company tax base across the EU would be introduced by qualified majority voting. [11201]

§ Dawn Primarolo
Decisions in this area are subject to unanimity. Tax harmonisation, including proposals for a consolidated company tax base, is not the way forward for Europe.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the variation in effective company tax rates across the EU. [11208]

§ Dawn Primarolo
The Government's view is that fair tax competition not tax harmonisation is the way forward for Europe. The Government are committed to ensuring that the UK remains an attractive location for business, with strong international links and high levels of both inward and outward investment.

§ Mr. Bercow
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a breakdown of the effective company tax burden in each EU state. [11209]

§ Dawn Primarolo
There are a number of approaches that can be used to calculate effective company tax burdens. Information is contained in a variety of sources, including the OECD's publication "Revenue Statistics 1965–2000" and the Commission's Communication "Towards an internal market without tax obstacles: a strategy for providing companies with a consolidated corporate tax base for their EU-wide activities" (COM(2001)582), both of which are available in the Library of the House.