§ Bill for amending the law relating to Customs and Inland Revenue; and for other purposes connected with Finance.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonI beg leave to introduce a Bill for amending the law relating to Customs and Inland Revenue, and for other purposes connected with finance.
§ MR. GIBSON BOWLES (King's Lynn)I did expect some explanation of this Bill from my right honourable Friend. I suppose that the Bill arose from the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee in relation to the discovery that unlawful remission of taxation had been made by the Treasury. I presume the principle of the Bill will be to enable the Treasury to make such conditions as will carry out the recommendations of that Committee. But if this Bill carries out the intention of 464 that Committee, as I understand the Treasury propose to do, it will be found extremely difficult to frame. At the same time I am glad to see some signs of repentance on the part of the Treasury.
§ MR. HANBURYIt is very difficult to give a short explanation of this Bill, because it deals with a considerable variety of subjects. It deals principally with certain details of administration on the part of the Customs and Inland Revenue Departments. This Bill does include proposals for giving effect to the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee with respect to certain remissions of taxation which have been made hitherto by the Inland Revenue Department in its own discretion, and to which it is thought well to give statutory authority.
§ Leave given, Bill presented accordingly, and read the first time.