§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action has been taken and how much has been spent by the Government on promoting the annual tax exemption on loaned computers since it was introduced in 1999. [152064]
§ Dawn PrimaroloI have been asked to reply.
The exemption was set out in Budget and other published material when it was introduced in 1999, and it now features in publicly available Inland Revenue guidance on employment expenses and benefits.
The exemption has recently received a major promotional boost with the launch, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 19 January, of guidelines on Home Computing Initiatives. The Government have spent £370,000 on the production, promotion and distribution of these guidelines. Industry partners have also pledged significant funds and resources to promote the guidelines and HCI schemes more broadly.