HC Deb 31 July 1913 vol 56 cc714-5
30 and 31. Sir J. D. REES

asked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether be is aware that the partners in a firm in Nottingham during last year were taxed £38 17s. 9d., the employés £51 12s. 8d., and the general taxpayers £25 18s. 6d. under the Insurance Act, while for this total of £116 8s. 11d. the employés received in benefits £7 15s.; and whether the Insurance Act Amendment Bill will be amended so as to afford some redress for such a case; and (2) whether he is aware that, in the business in Nottingham of an employer of forty-two to forty-five employés, insurance tax was paid last year of £59 14s. 2d. for which benefits to the extent of £4 3s. 9d. were received by the taxpayers, of which one person received £3 5s.; that the employer paid £31 1s. 7d. on account of employés who were satisfactorily insured and provided for prior to the passing of the National Insurance Act, and the employés themselves, most of whom had signed a protest against the Cushing of the Act through Parliament, were mulcted of £28 12s. 7d.; and whether the Government will revise the National Insurance Act (1911) Amendment Bill, in view of the manner in which compulsion works, of which this is an instance?

Mr. BENN

I have no information as to the payments made to employés of particular employers. As, however, the main benefits of the Act did not come into operation till this year it is obvious that no such figures as the hon. Member gives with regard to benefits received last year are of any value. The last part of the question does not therefore arise.