58. Captain COOTEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of certain cases of passive resistance to the payment of rates on tithe rent-charge; whether he admits the inequality of charging clergymen with both rates and Income Tax upon their earned income; and, if so, whether he will take steps to remove this inequality in the forthcoming Budget and/or the 245 foreshadowed revision of the incidence of Income Tax, at least until such time as the rating system be revised upon more equitable lines?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; with regard to the second and third parts of the question the Government have decided that legislation dealing with this matter shall be introduced very shortly.