166 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Finance the gross and net cost from 6 April 1994 to 31 December 1994, and in a full year, for each £100 change in the exemption limits for those on lower incomes.

The only relevant information available as to cost is in relation to the direct cost to the Exchequer in income tax forgone if the changes referred to in the question were enacted for the income tax year 1994-95. The estimated costs of increasing the exemption limits by £100 are set out in the following table.