About 2.1 million taxpayers - or 61.39% of the total working population - did not need to pay salaries tax in 2006-07, according to the Inland Revenue Department's latest figures.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Prof KC Chan presented the above figures in today's Legislative Council meeting. About 14% of the 3.43 million taxpayers paid salaries tax of $1,000 or below, 5.18% paid $2,001 to $5,000, 4.26% paid $5,001 to $10,000 and 3.8% paid $1,001 to $2,000.

On the amount of salaries tax paid by taxpayers - excluding those who paid at the standard rate - on their income, the average percentage was 4.7% in 2006-07. The highest amount of salaries tax paid was $593,000, and the lowest was $1. For details, click here.

The average percentage in 2005-06 was 6.2%. The highest amount of salaries tax paid that year was $400,000 and the lowest, $1.