asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of taxation collected (a) on time and (b) late, in respect of each of the tax categories, for each of the last five years.
Written Answers. - Taxation Statistics.
578.
The information requested is given in the following table for VAT and for PAYE/PRSI.
For VAT and PAYE/PRSI "on time" is taken to refer to paid within the relevant year. Some payments on time on this basis would be late by strict reference to their two-monthly or monthly due dates.
Owing to the almost universal incidence of estimated assessments and consequent appeals in relation to income tax (other than PAYE) and corporation tax the effective due dates vary greatly from case to case. The link with accounting periods is an additional factor affecting due date as regards corporation tax. In these circumstances I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not possible to provide the information requested in relation to these taxes without extensive analysis of individual cases which could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost. Similar difficulties arise in the case of capital acquisitions tax and capital gains tax which become payable on a variety of due dates depending on various factors and accordingly it is also not possible to supply the information requested in respect of these taxes.
Tax paid on time and paid late
|
VAT |
PAYE/PRSI |
|||
|
Paid on time |
Paid at 31/5/1984 |
Paid on time |
Paid at 31/5/1984 |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
1979 |
490 |
571 |
1,092 |
1,176 |
|
1980 |
590 |
679 |
1,359 |
1,478 |
|
1981 |
774 |
902 |
1,690 |
1,832 |
|
1982 |
925 |
1,045 |
2,084 |
2,224 |
|
1983 |
802 |
888 |
2,440 |
2,501 |
NOTE: The figures for VAT are on calendar year basis, those for PAYE/PRSI relate to the PAYE year begun in the quoted calendar year. For 1982 and 1983 the VAT figures are exclusive of VAT collected on imports.
579.
asked the Minister for Finance in respect of each of the last five years, the total amount of interest levied on late tax payments in respect of each of the tax categories; and the total amount of interest paid.
The following table gives details of the interest paid for the years in question.
Figures of interest levied are not available. The bulk of interest levied is levied in the context of pursuing estimated liabilities where returns and payments are overdue. When the required returns and payments are belatedly furnished the estimated liabilities and the related interest levies are frequently subject to sharp reduction. Thus at any point of time figures of interest levied would be unavoidably distorted. In these circumstances arrangements for the compilation of such figures have never been undertaken for the taxes specified in the table.
Interest paid at 31/5/84
|
VAT |
PAYE/PRSI |
Income Tax (Self-employed including farmers) |
Corporation Tax |
Capital Gains Tax |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
1979 |
1.1 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
1.1 |
0.06 |
|
1980 |
1.6 |
2.4 |
1.1 |
0.8 |
0.04 |
|
1981 |
2.5 |
3.3 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.03 |
|
1982 |
2.1 |
3.2 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.01 |
|
1983 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.03 |
0.06 |
— |
NOTE: Figures for VAT are on calendar year basis. Those for the other taxes relate to the tax year begun in the quoted year.
Interest charged in relation to Capital Acquisition Tax, Estate Duty and Wealth Tax is not separately recorded from the tax and figures are not available.
The figure for 1983 is not a final figure and will fall for increase when cases presently being pursued are settled.
580.
asked the Minister for Finance the total estimated level of paid and unpaid taxes in respect of the financial years ending April 1980, April 1981, April 1982, April 1983, and April 1984, under each tax category at (a) 31 December 1983 (where appropriate) and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.
The estimation at any given point in time of the amount of tax due but "unpaid" is extremely difficult. In some cases, tax liability will have been finalised, and collection procedures set in train. In other cases, liability will not have been finalised, but will be (a) estimated, or (b) estimated and under appeal, or (c) subject to claims for reliefs or allowances. Such data as can be provided, including those set out in the following tables, must be interpreted taking account of these serious qualifications. The figures contained in the following table show the position as at 31 May 1984, for each of the years requested by the Deputy as this is the normal date in relation to which these figures are compiled. Corresponding figures at 31 December 1983 are not available and could not be obtained without undertaking an inquiry which could be carried out only at a disproportionate cost.
Estimated figures as at 31 May 1984.
|
1979-80 |
1980-81 |
1981-82 |
1982-83 |
1983-84 |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
INCOME TAX (excluding PAYE) |
|||||
|
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable |
124 |
148 |
185 |
262 |
331 |
|
Paid |
117 |
136 |
164 |
197 |
211 |
|
Difference |
7 |
12 |
21 |
65 |
120 |
|
CORPORATION TAX |
|||||
|
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable |
140 |
164 |
186 |
334 |
288 |
|
Paid |
137 |
158 |
175 |
269 |
98 |
|
Difference |
3 |
6 |
11 |
65 |
190 |
|
CAPITAL GAINS TAX |
|||||
|
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable |
6 |
9 |
9 |
12 |
10 |
|
Paid |
5 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
7 |
|
Difference |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
PAYE/PRSI |
|||||
|
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable |
1,184 |
1,493 |
1,860 |
2,271 |
—¹ |
|
Paid |
1,176 |
1,478 |
1,832 |
2,224 |
2,501 |
|
Difference |
8 |
15 |
28 |
47 |
—¹ |
|
VALUE ADDED TAX |
|||||
|
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable |
684 |
911 |
1,068³ |
943³ |
|
|
Paid |
679 |
902 |
1,045³ |
888³ |
|
|
Difference |
5 |
9 |
23³ |
55³ |
|
|
CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS TAX |
|||||
|
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable |
7.5 |
7.9 |
10.8 |
24.7 |
|
|
Paid |
7.0 |
7.4 |
9.6 |
17.0 |
|
|
Difference |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1.2 |
7.7 |
Notes on Tables.
1. These figures are not available as the bulk of the end of year returns would not have been processed at the date shown.
2. Figures available by calendar year only.
3. The figures shown for 1982 and 1983 exclude VAT on imports.
General Notes.
Amount of tax now estimated to be ultimately payable.
The amount of tax shown for each year of account under this heading is the amount estimated to be payable whether actually collected in that year or later. Part of that amount is paid automatically as is generally the case under PAYE or VAT. The remainder of that amount is, in general, paid in consequence of assessments to income tax and corporation tax made by the Inspector of Taxes or estimates raised by the Collector-General in relation to unpaid PAYE/PRSI or VAT. The latter procedures inevitably involve a high degree of estimation. As the amounts so estimated are subject to the statutory appeal process there frequently are substantial variations between the estimated amounts and the amounts finally determined on appeal. (In the case of income tax, excluding PAYE, and corporation tax the position may be further complicated by substantial claims for, e.g. stock relief and capital allowances of which notice had not been received when the initial estimates were being made). Only when the appeals are finally settled will the figures for tax ultimately payable, and in many instances the effective due dates, emerge. The table shows the current estimate of what these figures will be.
Income tax (excluding PAYE) and corporation tax.
The amounts shown as unpaid are the amounts which are now estimated ultimately to become payable when figures for tax are finally determined. At 31 May 1984, the bulk of the income tax (excluding PAYE) and corporation tax for 1983-84 would have been under appeal and not due for payment at that date. Portion of the corporation tax would relate to assessments for which the due date for payment of the tax would not have been reached by 31 May 1984.
PAYE/PRSI.
The amounts shown as unpaid comprise (a) the differences between the amounts returned in the annual accounting for PAYE/PRSI on form P.35 and the amounts remitted and (b) amounts which are estimated ultimately to become payable on foot of estimates raised in respect of suspected non-operation or partial operation of the PAYE system.
Value-added tax.
The amounts shown as unpaid comprise (a) amounts which are now estimated ultimately to become payable on foot of estimates raised for taxable periods in respect of which inadequate or no returns were received from the traders concerned and (b) apparent shortfalls in cases where differences emerge between the liabilities declared on traders' returns and the amounts remitted.