§ 24. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will grant the Return standing in the name of the hon. Member for Salisbury? [Return showing the number of persons who have not been liable to Super-tax owing to the operation of Clause 2 (b) of Section 66 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, which allows life insurance premiums to be treated as a deduction from the total income, and the amount of Super-tax which would otherwise have been payable, for each of the years 1909–10, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, and 1913–14.]
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Montagu)I regret that having regard to the labour which would be involved in preparing the Return standing in the hon. Member's name, I cannot see my way to granting it.
§ Mr. G. LOCKER-LAMPSONCan the hon. Gentleman give me the figures for the last two years?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI have made inquiries of the Inland Revenue, and find that it would take the whole of the second class clerks and the assistant clerks fourteen days to examine the Returns. The hon. Member was good enough to write to me. I have had his letter examined by the Inland Revenue, and will forward their answer to him.
§ Mr. J. HOGGEOn what principle does the Treasury allow these Returns to be supplied? Is it a question of the cost to the Treasury or the amount of labour involved? Is he aware that a number of Members of this House have similar Notices of Motion down and never hear about them? Would it not conduce—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member should give notice of some of those questions.