The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1990-1997

Chief Secretary (1987-1989)

Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Indirect Taxation – 23 February 1989

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Indirect Taxation on 23rd February 1989.


Mr. Henderson To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total tax revenue arose from indirect taxes in 1988; and what figures he has for the United States of American, Japan and West Germany.

Mr. Major The latest directly comparable OECD figures are for 1986. They show that the share of indirect taxes in the total was 43 per cent. for the United Kingdom, 29 per cent. for the United States of America, 27 per cent. for Japan and 30 per cent. for West Germany.