§ MR. BOULNOIS (Marylebone, E.)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if there is any truth in the 199 statements that have recently been publicly made, that Surveyors of Taxes are in any way paid or receive poundage or commission on the sum raised as Income Tax in their respective districts; whether they receive anything more than the official salary, as fixed by the Treasury; and whether they benefit at all by the raising of any Schedule D or other Income Tax assessments?
§ MR. GOSCHENThe answer to the first and third Questions of the hon. Member is no; as regards the second Question, under Section 162 of the Act of 1842 Surveyors were allowed to receive additional payments in certain cases under Rules to be framed by the Treasury. These Rules have never been framed, and the Section has remained a dead letter, while special grants which used occasionally to be made to Surveyors have been discontinued for some years, so that in no case can a Surveyor receive more than his official salary.
§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)May I ask if it is the fact that Collectors and Clerks to the Commissioners are still paid by poundage?
§ MR. GOSCHENI do not see that that is a question which arises out of my answer, but, as the hon. Member is aware, the Collectors and Assessors are still paid by poundage. Efforts have been made by various Governments to get rid of that anomaly, but so far they have not been successful. I propose to make another attempt this Session to abolish the system of payment by poundage.