§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked whether upwards of 7,500 repayments of Income Tax were made in March, 1911, without examination, as against an average of 500 for the same month in previous years; and whether the number dropped to a much smaller figure in April?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)No repayments are made without examination of the claims. Inquiry into certain points con- 1387 nected with the claims is, as previously explained, postponed until later in the year when the pressure of work is somewhat lighter, but the nature of the postponed inquiries is such that it is very rarely found that the title to or amount of the repayment is affected as a result of the inquiries. The number of provisional repayments in March and April, 1911 was 7,500 and 13,575 respectively. The number of repayments in March, 1910, was 625, a number considerably below that of the preceding year, owing to the claims being deferred pending payment of the Income Tax. It is hoped that this system will put an end to the not unjustifiable complaint of taxpayers as to the delay in repayment.