§ MR. F. W. FISON (York, W.R., Doncaster)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is any reason why the benefits of the Act 18 and 19 Vict., c. 35, under which, in making Income Tax Returns, persons who have insured their lives, or contracted for deferred annuities with friendly societies, are authorised to deduct the amount of the premiums paid for that purpose, should not be extended 557 to railway servants, who, under the terms of any Superannuation Scheme sanctioned by Parliament, have made the like provision; and whether Her Majesty's Government could undertake legislation to extend the provisions of the above Act accordingly?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.)I have had this matter under consideration. I understand that in the Superannuation Scheme to which the hon. Member refers there is usually a provision for repaying to members, in certain circumstances, the whole of their contributions in a lump sum, and I do not see my way to proposing any legislation to allow persons to deduct from their assessable incomes annual payments to a fund to which any such regulation applies.