§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked what amount had been disbursed by the Exchequer by way of repayment of Income Tax under Schedule A, in compliance with Section 69 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, up to the end of the last financial year; and whether the sum of £500,000 provided for by that Section has been set aside for this purpose in each of the last two financial years?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEUp to the 31st March last, the amount repaid under the provisions of Section 69 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, was £7,900. As regards the last part of the question, no sum has been set aside for the purposes of repayment under that Section. The figure to which the hon. Member refers is an estimate of the maximum amount which might be repayable in any one year.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the small demands made under this Section are due to the unintelligible character of Form 99, in which expenditure upon cottages and upon farm premises is treated in separate watertight compartments?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGENo, that is not my information. I am afraid it is due to a certain extent to slackness on the part of applicants themselves. I am very anxious to encourage applications where they are well founded, but if there is any difficulty of that kind I hope the hon. Gentleman will kindly put the matter before the authorities of Somerset House. I am sure they will be very happy to make it as clear as possible.