HC Deb 07 May 1908 vol 188 c448

I will say a few words first on the revenue and the causes which account for the excess in the actual receipts over those I estimated for a year ago. On a comparison between the estimated and actual Exchequer receipts from revenue in 1907–8, it will be found that under ten of the twelve heads set out increases over the estimates are shown, the only exceptions being Excise and Stamps. Customs revenue, owing to the loss of the coal duty, which contributed nearly £1,500,000 in the previous year was estimated to produce less by £1,192,000 last year than in the preceding year. The actual receipts of the Exchequer, however, exceeded estimate by £567,000, reducing the loss from £1,192,000 to £625,000. This striking recovery has been caused by the increased revenue from sugar, in which the estimate has been exceeded by £310,000; tea, showing an excess of £208,000; and tobacco, with in increase of £240,000.