asked the Minister for Finance the level of excise duty and VAT on petrol and automotive diesel for each of the years 1982, 1983 and 1984; and the total yields for each year.

As the answer is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.

The information requested is as follows:

Petrol

Automative Diesel

Note: The estimated VAT yield from automotive diesel represents the estimated amount paid by unregistered persons. VAT-registered persons are entitled to take a credit for the VAT borne by them on purchases of automotive diesel for business use.

Will the answer in the form of a tabular statement disclose that the excise duty from petrol for instance hardly increased at all in 1984 over 1983 and that this marginal increase in real terms would be a very significant decrease? Will the Minister acknowledge that he is dealing with diminishing returns and that despite the extra level of excise duty the actual amount accruing to the Revenue was almost the same as it was in 1983 which was not much more than it was in 1982?

In accordance with the Chair's instructions on a previous occasion I do not intend to pursue that question as I have circulated the information in the form of a tabular statement.

I am sorry, Deputy, but I have been in trouble with the Ceann Comhairle before about this.

The Chair has said on numerous occasions that he deprecates a mixture between oral answers and written answers.

Will the Minister just give the figures for excise duty yield for 1983 and 1984? That will not take up the time of the House.

I am in the Chair's hands.

Please, it will just take a second. Can he be allowed?

I have no absolute control over the matter. If a Minister says that he is answering the question by way of a statement to be circulated, then supplementary questions should not be put on it.

Could the Minister extract only two figures?

The Deputy should co-operate with the Chair.

This is a very important national issue. Will the Minister give those two figures?

They are all important to somebody.

Will the Minister give those two figures? It will not take up one second. I suggest that the figures that the Minister will not give ——

You cannot.

—— would indicate that for 1983 the yield from excise duty on petrol was £276 million and in 1984 despite the very heavy increases proposed by the Minister in that year the figure was £281 million and that those figures clearly demonstrate that we have a drain from the revenue because of the extra levels of excise duty imposed by this Minister and that we are seeing the extraordinary consequences that for extra excise duty we are getting less revenue.

I suggest that the Deputy ——

Are my figures correct?

—— would more appropriately make that comment ——

The figures are correct and the Minister is shielding behind his tabular statements to conceal the consequences of his disastrous policies. I would ask if the figures were £275½ million in 1983 and £281 million in 1984 and that demonstrates the failure of this Minister's disastrous policies ——

Deputy O'Kennedy has no regard for the Chair and I am surprised that ——

The Minister will not give two simple figures so that he can avoid having to justify his disastrous policies.

Question No. 15.