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Shipping: Tonnage Tax
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will maintain the existing tonnage tax system for the British shipping industry. [HL3469]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government keep all taxes under review. There are no current plans to change the existing support provided to the shipping industry through the tonnage tax regime.
The European Commission is currently consulting member states on aspects of the guidelines for state aids to maritime transport, which cover tonnage tax regimes.
Once the outcome of the consultation is known, the Government will consider what changes, if any, are required to UK tonnage tax in the light of any revisions to the guidelines.
Stateless People
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that stateless people and those living in internationally unrecognised entities are fully considered when applying for scholarships, other educational visits and visas to the United Kingdom. [HL3479]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): Stateless people living overseas and those living in internationally unrecognised entities are able to apply for visas for entry to the United Kingdom, for the purposes of study, without restriction.
The Government support a number of scholarship schemes which are available to international students coming to the UK to study. The criteria which apply vary according to the scheme. Some schemes are open to particular countries or regions of the world. For example, the Commonwealth Scholarship scheme is available to citizens of Commonwealth countries and the Marshall Scheme relates to United States citizens. Through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the Government fund the Chevening Scholarship and Fellowship Scheme, which is open to students from around the world, but they must be nationals of a country other than the United Kingdom. Higher education institutions are also free to offer scholarships to international students and, as autonomous institutions, are responsible for determining the criteria for allocating such awards.
Taxation: Income Tax
Lord Barnett asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many taxpayers have gained from (a) the removal of the 10p tax band; and (b) the reduction of the base rate to 20p; and [HL3499]
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How many single men and women are affected by the removal of the 10p tax band; and how much extra is expected to be paid on average by such persons; and [HL3500]
For how long single men and women will remain in the income band affected by the removal of the 10p tax band. [HL3501]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The removal of the 10p tax rate was part of a package of reforms announced in Budget 2007. The exact effect of the reforms will depend both on individual incomes, and on the circumstances of the household in which people live—for example, whether they have children, and their age.
In 2008-09 all 31 million taxpayers are affected by the removal of the 10p rate of income tax. Some 28 million of these taxpayers stand to gain from the cut in the basic rate of income tax to 20p.
The Chancellor announced on 13 May an increase in the individual personal tax allowance by £600 to £6,035 for this financial year, benefiting all basic-rate taxpayers under 65 and removing 600,000 low-income individuals from tax. Around 22 million basic-rate taxpayers will gain an additional £120 this year, fully compensating 80 per cent of households that lose from the Budget 2007 reforms, with the remainder seeing their loss at least halved.
The Government will set out their plans for future years in the 2008 Pre-Budget Report.
Taxation: Inheritance Tax
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the annual gift level of £250 per donee for inheritance tax was first set; and at what level it would now be if it had been uprated in line with inflation. [HL3530]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The exemption from inheritance tax of gifts of up to £250 to any one person was set at this amount at 6 April 1980. If this figure had been uprated in line with the retail prices index it would currently stand at £900.
Taxation: Top Rates
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 2 August 2005 (WA 87-88), whether they will publish in the same form the top rate of direct tax on personal incomes in the United Kingdom for each year from 1975-76 to 2008-09. [HL3532]
Lord Davies of Oldham: An updated version of the table given in my reply to the noble Lord of 2 August 2005 (WA 87-88) is given below:
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- 2. For 1975-76 to 1983-84, the highest rate charged includes investment income surcharge at 15 per cent, but this total rate would only apply if the taxpayer's income included investment income greater than the threshold for the highest rate of surcharge, which varied between £2,000 in 1973-74 and £7,100 in 1983-84.
- 3. Financial year average RPI available only up to 2007-08—therefore, equivalent data for 2008-09 are not available.
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