SIR HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state the proportion of public revenue raised by direct taxation and the proportion raised by indirect taxation in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Germany.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.For the year 1899–1900 1195 direct taxation contributed 48.4 per cent. of the total tax revenue of the United Kingdom, as compared with 51.6 per cent. from indirect taxation. I am afraid I cannot give the figures for foreign countries. I may, however, point out that, in the case of Federal Governments, such as the United States or Germany, any comparison, unless very carefully made, would be apt to be misleading.