§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has been able to make arrangements with the Board of Inland Revenue, which will afford any alleviation to cab-owners in respect to the Excise Licence?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS, Birmingham, E.)I have been in communication with the Board of Inland Revenue, and they inform me that the present practice under the existing law could not be altered, and that 326 any change in the law would present some practical difficulties. Hackney carriage licences are on the same footing as the other establishment licences (ordinary carriages, servants, and armorial bearings) and the dog licences.
§ MR. J. ROWLANDSUpon the 3rd of June the right hon. Gentleman held out some hope that an arrangement might be come to between the Home Office and the Board of Inland Revenue. Does he see any chance of that arrangement being arrived at?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI stated that I would communicate with the Board of Inland Revenue in order to see whether anything could be done, and the answer I have given to the question of the hon. Gentleman gives the result of that communication.