§ 39. Sir J. D. REESasked whether His Majesty's Government will consider the propriety of collecting duty on manufactured tobacco by stamps, to be affixed as cigars and cigarettes are sold, seeing that the adoption of this suggestion would enable smaller tradesmen interested to carry on their business without providing additional capital, and would obviate the employment of new officials for collecting duty?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe suggestion put forward is one which involves a fundamental change in the present method of assessing and collecting the Tobacco Duty on the raw material. It would require very careful and probably prolonged inquiry and consideration, and the present is not, I think, an opportune time for such inquiry. No new officials will be required in connection with the additional Tobacco Duty imposed by the Budget.