§ MR. R. HARCOURTI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any official Reports showing that the Secretary of State for the Imperial German Treasury is about to 73 introduce a Bill to impose a tax of 5 per cent. on the consumption price of electricity, whether for power or light, and the same tax on gas, also a tax on every gas or electrical burner sold, amounting to 50 or 60 per cent. of the present retail price, so that their cost for buyers would be increased in this proportion; and whether, in the event of the resources of free trade finance becoming exhausted, he will bear in mind this method of broadening the basis of taxation.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI believe that the German proposals for new Imperial taxation have not yet been officially promulgated.