HC Deb 22 June 1916 vol 83 c287
86. Colonel ALAN SYKES

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Board of Inland Revenue have intimated that officers of the tax-surveying branch are at once to relinquish their membership of Volunteer Training Corps on the ground that mobilisation of the Volunteers would interfere with the work of collecting war revenue; and, if so, will he try and come to some arrangement with the War Office of a nature to ensure that his men would be exempted and only be liable to be called out in the case of the most absolute necessity for every man in the country standing to arms?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Montagu)

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the suggestion contained in the second part, I have asked the Board of Inland Revenue to communicate with the Army Council.

Colonel SYKES

Will the right hon. Gentleman suspend this instruction pending negotiations with the Army Council?

Mr. MONTAGU

The first duty of the tax-surveying branch is to see that the taxes are collected.

Colonel SYKES

Will the right hon. Gentleman suspend the instruction in the meantime?

Mr. MONTAGU

I cannot suspend the collection of the taxes.