Finance (No.2) Bill 2006 — Income tax exemption for computer equipment — rejected — 5 Jul 2006 at 15:15

Dan Rogerson MP, North Cornwall voted in the minority (Teller for the Ayes).

The majority No voters rejected an amendment[1] to the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2006. The amendment would have stopped the removal of an income tax exemption for computer equipment which was proposed in the Finance Bill[2]. However, the amendment was defeated.

The original aim of the exemption was to promote household computer use by encouraging employers to loan computers to employees.

Julia Goldsworthy MP explains her reasoning for keeping the exemption as follows[3]:

  • 'Half a million people have benefited from the scheme, and many family members, as well as employees, now have access to a computer at home as a result. In particular, people found the kind of support provided through the scheme particularly helpful and reassuring.'

However, Dawn Primarolo MP argues for removing the exemption as follows[4]:

  • 'The home computer initiative has been used extensively by groups whom we would not generally expect to experience difficulty in accessing information technology. Twenty-five per cent. of participants in the scheme are higher rate taxpayers, more than twice the proportion among taxpayers as a whole. Furthermore, nearly a third of participants are employed in white-collar industries. In March, the Low Pay Commission published the findings of its review of benefits in kind, salary sacrifice schemes and the accommodation offset. It found that take-up rates were often low and that many part-time low-paid workers would gain no advantage from salary sacrifice schemes for home computers and other benefits in kind. The analysis shows that those who can afford to do so have the computers and those who cannot afford to do so, do not. The recommendation was, therefore, to refocus—not to amend—the scheme.'

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Debate in Parliament | Source |

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Party Summary

Votes by party, red entries are votes against the majority for that party.

What is Tell? '+1 tell' means that in addition one member of that party was a teller for that division lobby.

What are Boths? An MP can vote both aye and no in the same division. The boths page explains this.

What is Turnout? This is measured against the total membership of the party at the time of the vote.

PartyMajority (No)Minority (Aye)BothTurnout
Con0 160081.6%
DUP0 6066.7%
Independent0 1050.0%
Lab272 (+2 tell) 0077.6%
LDem0 49 (+2 tell)081.0%
PC0 30100.0%
SDLP1 0033.3%
SNP0 5083.3%
Total:273 224078.9%

Rebel Voters - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party. You can see all votes in this division, or every eligible MP who could have voted in this division

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
no rebellions

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