Captain CRAIGasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has recently received a copy of a resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Association of Tax Surveying Officers to the effect that surveyors of taxes are emphatically of opinion that the work arising out of the Finance Bill, other than that relating to Land Taxes, is beyond the powers of the present Income Tax staff; whether he is aware that many surveyors are now, and have been for a considerable time, working 10 to 12 hours a day, exclusive of meal 25 hours; what hours are laid down by regulation as reasonable for a surveyor of average ability to work per day or per week; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent surveyors being overworked when the Finance Bill becomes law?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second part in the negative. As regards the third part of the question, the duties of surveyors of taxes are not susceptible of regulation in the manner indicated. The last part of the question is purely hypothetical.