asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has examined any alternatives to mortgage relief incentives to house ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
31.
Written Answers. - Tax Relief Cost.
20.
asked the Minister for Finance the total number of persons, to the nearest thousand, claiming mortgage interest relief in 1987; and the average amount of relief given to those claiming.
56.
asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of income tax which it is estimated will be foregone by way of mortagage interest relief in 1988 on the assumption that the relief is retained at its 90 per cent level.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 31 and 56 together.
The cost of mortgage interest relief to the Exchequer is estimated at £160 million for the income tax year 1988-89 on the basis of the existing rules.
The total number of taxpayers claiming the relief in the tax year 1987-88 is estimated at 294,000 and the average amount of tax foregone per taxpayer is estimated at £514.
In common with incentives in other areas, incentives to house ownership are kept under review by my Department in the context of policy generally.