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Inland Revenue Staff

Volume 928: debated on Wednesday 23 March 1977

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asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total number of people employed in the Inland Revenue for each year since 1945; and what was the total number of people paying direct taxes and the number of Revenue employees per direct taxpayer.

YearStaff in post at end of year*Estimated number of taxpayers† ('000s)Number of staff per 10,000 taxpayers
1944–4535,74514,50025
1945–4643,84815,25029
1946–4749,28314,00035
1947–4849,26614,60034
1948–4949,50714,50034
1949–5049,75915,05033
1950–5152,99815,80034
1951–5253,26016,15033
1952–5351,75615,40034
1953–5451,65315,90032
1954–5550,53316,55031
1955–5651,49316,30032
1956–5751,46617,10030
1957–5852,21417,35030
1958–5952,98117,69030
1959–6055,67218,37030
1960–6158,16819,25030
1961–6257,25319,85029
1962–6358,27020,13029
1963–6458,02217,81033
1964–6557,70818,49031
1965–6659,51819,33031
1966–6762,70019,96032
1967–6865,71420,01033
1968–6965,46820,72032
1969–7068,63220,5703
1970–7169,79120,04035
1971–7271,95419,68037
1972–7370,71318,93037
1973–7469,80219,81035
1974–7574,19620,53036
1975–7680,28520,750‡39
1976–7783,11920,950‡40
* These are the numbers of permanent staff at 1st April in each year (1st March for 1977). They do not include staff serving on short-period engagements but do include staff, particularly in the valuation offices, who are not normally concerned with the assessment and collection of the direct taxes.
† These are the numbers paying income tax, married couples being counted as one, but excluding companies. Most of those paying the other direct taxes, capital gains tax, estate duty, etc., also pay income tax but the numbers who do not are not known. This, therefore, appears to be the best estimate that can be made of the number of people paying direct taxes. The figures do not reflect the substantial growth in the number liable to income tax at the higher rates and to the investment surcharge, and in the number of working wives.
‡ Provisional.