Written question asked by Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 3 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 10 January 2002. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Thursday, 10 January 2002 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Dept for Education and Skills

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her Answer of 20th November 2001, Official Report, column 259W, on what evidence she based her Answer on the numbers of teachers having to pay higher rates of tax; and how this is reconciled with her Answer of 30th November 2001, Official Report, column 1213W, on threshold allowance awards. - Inc figure.

Answer: Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 259W, on what evidence she based her answer on the numbers of teachers having to pay higher rates of tax; and how this is reconciled with her answer of 30 November 2001, Official Report, column 1213W, on threshold allowance awards. [25861] Mr. Timms: To pay higher rate tax as a result of receiving threshold back pay from 2000-0l in the current financial year a teacher would have to earn at least £32,768 this year before any threshold back pay was added. Estimates derived from the teachers' pensions scheme indicate that a substantial majority of teachers who have crossed the threshold are not paid as much as this. So even though we do not have detailed information about when they were paid, we can nevertheless say that most post-threshold teachers would not pay higher rate tax even if they received threshold back pay this year.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 25861; 377 c954W;377 c956W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Administrative delays Income tax Pay Teachers Tax rates and bands Performance related pay
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk