§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the costs that would fall on(a) the Government and (b) business if the Scottish Parliament voted to use its powers to vary the basic rate of income tax as specified in Section 72 of the Scotland Act 1998.[144667]
§ Mrs. McGuire[holding answer 17 December 2003]: The use of the tax varying powers, and related costs, are matters for the Scottish Executive. Scottish Executive Ministers have made it clear that they do not intend to use the tax varying powers during the course of this Scottish Parliament.