I propose to take questions Nos. 19, 43 and 55 together.
Under the special statutory confidentiality arrangements which apply in relation to the 15 per cent amnesty the Chief Special Collector may only supply certain information to me and this only in the form of aggregates of the total amount of the declared amounts, the total amount of the settlement amounts, the total amount of value-added tax remitted to the Chief Special Collector and the total numbers of individuals who remitted amounts to the Chief Special Collector. This information will relate to the position as at the deferred declaration — filing date of 21 December 1993.
The large volume of payments received under both amnesties is still being processed and will take some time to record and analyse. I will be happy to provide the information allowed by the legislation as soon as it is available to me.
I can, however, inform the House that the total amount of tax paid under the two amnesties is currently estimated at £240 million, of which £9 million was paid in 1993. The amount remitted under the 15 per cent incentive amnesty is estimated to be of the order of £190 million in respect of declared amounts of income and gains. Declared amounts are income or chargeable gains for the period up to 5 April 1991, in respect of which any tax due had not been paid. The actual tax due in respect of these amounts would depend on each individual's particular circumstances and the rates of tax in force at the time. An exercise to establish the amount of the pre-amnesty tax liability in each case would not be possible because of the confidentiality arrangements which are the cornerstone of the incentive amnesty.
The balance of the amnesty payments — some £50 million — related to the general amnesty. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that it is not feasible to provide information on the amount of interest and penalties which will be waived under the provisions of this amnesty. These figures represent the best estimates at this juncture.
No target figures had been set for the amnesty. It will be clear from the significant figures which I have given for the estimated receipts that the outcome of the amnesty scheme has been very satisfactory.