| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Capital Stock
Mr. Hain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the capital stock per worker in dollars in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France, (d) Japan and (e) the European Union in (i) 1979, (ii) 1992 and (iii) the latest year available, showing the percentage change between these years. [13442]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Peter Hain, dated 3 February 1997:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on the capital stock per worker.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 479
Mr. Hain:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage change in real gross domestic product between (a) 1979 and the latest available year and (b) 1992 and the latest available year for (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Germany, (iii) France, (iv) Japan and (v) the European Union. [13441]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
The change in real gross domestic product between 1979 and 1995, and between 1992 and 1995, can be calculated from figures available in the OECD publication "National Accounts," volume II, which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of people aged 25 years or under living in the York parliamentary constituency who (a) were registered unemployed and (b) had been registered unemployed for six months or more in each month since March 1992. [13582]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 3 February 1997:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on claimant unemployment in your constituency.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number and percentage of United Kingdom company cars whose tax claims for business mileages fall within the bands (a) 0 to 2,499 miles, (b) 2,500 to 17,999 miles and (c) 18,000 and miles above. [13338]
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 480
Mr. Jack
[holding answer 30 January 1997]: Estimates for 1997-98 are given in the table. "Company cars" are cars made available for the private use of employees and directors. Other cars registered in a company name--that is, short-term hire cars and "pooled cars"--are not included.
Figures for capital stock per worker in dollars are not available, but can be derived from information on gross capital stock at current prices, employment and exchange rates. Figures of gross stock at current prices are not available for Japan or the European Union. Information on gross stock for the United Kingdom, Germany and France are available in the OECD publication Flows and Stocks of Fixed Capital. Figures for exchange rates and employment are available in Volume I, Table 8.2 and Volume II, Table 15 of the OECD publication National Accounts. Copies of these publications are available in the House of Commons Library.
The latest figures for gross capital stock at current prices for the United Kingdom are not shown in the OECD publication Flows and Stocks of Fixed Capital. These figures are given in the table.
Year Billions of pounds sterling
1992 2,395.9
1993 2,462.9
1994 2,630.2
1995 2,889.6
A complete count of the total number of claimant unemployed by age and duration is available quarterly, for the months of January, April, July and October. For other months, age and duration data are restricted to those claimants whose records have been computerised (about 99.5 per cent of the total). In each case the data are not seasonally adjusted, nor do they make allowances for discontinuities in the count.
All this information can be accessed from the Nomis database held by the House of Commons Library.
| Annual business mileage | Number of recipients (000s) | Percentage of company cars |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2,499 | 150 | 9 |
| 2,500-17,999 | 1,000 | 59 |
| 18,000 and above | 550 | 32 |
| Total | 1,700 | 100 |
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue effect of raising the lower business mileage break point for company car taxation from 2,500 miles per annum to 5,000 miles per annum; and if he will make a statement. [13340]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 January 1997]: It is estimated that, in 1997-98, raising the lower business mileage break point from 2,500 miles to 5,000 miles per annum would yield about £200 million in income tax and about £60 million in employers' national insurance contributions.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the income tax yield from the taxation of company car scale benefits in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98. [13335]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 January 1997]: It is estimated that the income tax yield from the taxation of private use of company cars will be about £1,500 million in 1996-97 and £1,550 million in 1997-98. There will be a further yield from employers' national insurance contributions of about £450 million in each year.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would be raised by eliminating the reductions of income tax liability on company cars triggered by higher mileage thresholds. [13339]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 January 1997]: It is estimated that, in 1997-98, the income tax yield from eliminating mileage discounts on company cars would be about £1,100 million. There would be a further yield of about £325 million from employers' national insurance contributions. This is the direct yield before taking into account changes in behaviour. Employers and employees, faced with substantial national insurance contributions and tax increases--tripled for essential high business
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 481
mileage company cars--would move away from company cars to employee car purchase schemes and personal leasing, with allowances paid to employees at tax-free rates for their business mileage. This could considerably erode the Exchequer yield from company cars.
Domestic Rail Fares (Tax Relief)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost of providing income tax relief at the lower band rate of tax for all United Kingdom domestic rail passenger fares, assuming that such a change had no demand effects; and if he will make a statement. [13341]
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 January 1997]: Such a relief would be equivalent to an indirect subsidy to the rail companies, with uncertain effects on rail fares. If the relief were to be given at source, then the full-year cost, based on 1995-96 fare levels and assuming no change in demand, would be about £475 million. This includes the element attributable to non-taxpayers which would score as public expenditure.
Offshore Accounts
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what benefits accrue to (a) Her Majesty's
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 482
Treasury and (b) a United Kingdom citizen and resident in respect of bonuses paid into offshore accounts. [13775]
Mr. Jack: An individual, whether or not a UK citizen, who is resident and who carries out the duties of an employment in the UK, is taxable on his earnings from that employment, including bonuses, regardless of whether they are paid in the UK or offshore.
Mr. Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the practice of companies paying bonuses into offshore accounts. [13774]
Labour Statistics (Ealing)
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the change in unemployment figures in the Ealing, North constituency between 1992 and 1997. [12012]
Mrs. Angela Knight: Ealing is sharing fully in the success of the British economy, which is enjoying a combination of low inflation, falling unemployment, low mortgage rates and rising living standards not seen for a generation. Unadjusted claimant unemployment in the Ealing, North constituency has fallen by over 30 per cent. in the past four years, from 5.311 in December 1992 to 3,634 in December 1996, the latest month for which data are available.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 481
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 483
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |