THE number of employees paying tax on their company cars in 1996/97 remained static at 1.65 million, according to new figures from the Inland Revenue. The 1998 volume of Inland Revenue statistics contains data for the financial year 1996/97 and shows that the 1.65 million tax-paying company car drivers - the same figure as for 1995/96 - paid a total of £1.43 billion in company car tax - also the same as for 1995/96.

According to the Inland Revenue the number of tax-paying company car drivers has declined from a high of 1.95 million in 1990/91 when the tax take from company cars was £1.12 billion. However, the figures reveal that the number of company car drivers paying benefit-in-kind tax on fuel increased from 800,000 in 1995/96 to 810,000 in 1996/97, but significantly down on 1990/91 when 1.01 million company car drivers paid tax on the fuel.

The 1996/97 statistics also reveal that the fuel tax collected totalled £220 million - up from £210 million in 1995/96. Among the 1.65 million company car drivers in 1996/97 were 350,000 with cars of four years old or more. The figures also reveal that 120,000 company employees pay £500 flat rate tax on company-provided vans used privately and that 120,000 people (50,000 in 1991/92) used their own cars on business and were reimbursed through the Fixed Profit Car Scheme or an allowance system.