§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of employees (1) for whom tax relief for removal expenses and benefits was claimed in each year since 1997; [24552]
(2) for whom removal expenses and benefits exceeded (a) £6,000, (b) £8,000, (c) £10,000, (d) £12,000, (e) £14,000, (f) £16,000, (g) £18,000 and (h) £20,0000 in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will estimate the yield to the Exchequer of limiting tax relief for removal expenses and benefits to (i) £6,000, (ii) £8,000, (iii) £10,000, (iv) £12,000, (v) £14,000, (vi) £16,000, (vii) £18,000 and (viii) £20,000 in 2001–02. [24800]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithTax relief for the first £8,000 of reimbursed relocation expenses provided by employers is tentatively estimated to cost around £300 million each year. Around 125,000 employees benefit from it. A breakdown of employees who start a new job and those who move to a different location with the same employer is not available.
Available information suggests that in total around 10,000 employees pay income tax on the excess over £8,000 of qualifying relocation expense payments, or have the income tax paid by their employer amounting to some £30 million.