Further details from BBC News Online

In a speech on today, Peter Hain is expected to say that too many people on average incomes - including teachers and police officers - now fall into the 40% tax band.

He will become the first minister to propose the redistribution of money through the introduction of a higher top rate of tax, the Mirror reports.

The money raised could also be used to increase the threshold at which those on low incomes start to pay tax, the paper says.

Mr Hain is expected to say: "How can we ensure that hard-working middle-income families and the low paid get a better deal, except by those at the very top of the pay scale contributing more?"

Peter Hain is the first minister to call for such a tax shake-up Until now ministers had avoided suggestions of increased taxes, following Tony Blair's 1997 election pledge of "no rise in income tax rates".

But rising incomes have gradually pushed more and more people into the 40% tax band.

At present, the basic rate of tax is 22% on earnings up to �35,115.

Above this level the 40% rate of tax comes in.

One option could be to introduce a 50% rate on earnings over �50,000, and 60% for income over �100,000.

The 22% basic rate ceiling could then be lifted to �50,000, the Daily Mirror said.

For somebody on �50,000 a year the change would mean an extra �2,860 a year, or �51 a week.

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