§ 88 and 88. Mr. HAYDN JONESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, as the local authorities in England and Wales have in existence the necessary machinery for the collection of local taxation licences, he will consider the desirability of arranging for the collection of those local taxation licences which are now collected by Imperial officers by the local authorities, with the consequent reduction in the number of and expenditure on these officials; and (2) whether he will consider the desirability of inviting Scottish county and borough councils to undertake the collection of all local taxation licences, such as has already been undertaken by the local authorities in England and Wales?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe issue raised is a very large and complicated one, which has been carefully considered on several occasions. I do not think that in existing conditions it would be possible to contemplate a transfer of the kind indicated, and I am not prepared to endorse the assumption underlying the questions that it would result in economy of staff or of money.