HC Deb 12 April 1921 vol 140 cc930-1
73. Sir F. HALL

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the postponement, on account of the coal strike, of proceedings against large numbers of colliers for the non-payment of Income Tax due in respect of earnings during the last financial year was authorised or supported by the Inland Revenue authorities; and whether similar leniency will be shown towards other classes of Income Tax payers who are placed in financial difficulties owing to the action of the miners?

Lieut.-Commander YOUNG

My hon. and gallant Friend apparently has in mind the instructions which were issued some time ago to the local Inspectors of Taxes to use every effort to ascertain whether weekly wage earners from whom arrears of Income Tax are due are out of employment or working short time before proceedings for recovery of the tax are authorised. Those instructions were, of course, issued under the authority of the Board of Inland Revenue, whose practice it has always been to acquiesce in a reasonable postponement of the payment of taxes in cases of genuine and proved inability to meet the demands of the Revenue at the dates prescribed by law.

Sir F. HALL

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman reply to the last part of the question, as to whether similar assistance will be granted to those people who are not colliers?

Lieut.-Commander YOUNG

I think that my hon. and gallant Friend's question is really covered by the last phrase of the reply which I have already given. This is not an exception; it is the application of a general rule that in cases of genuine inability, owing to unemployment or some such circumstance, to meet the demands of the Revenue, consideration will be given. That is a general principle, and will be applied in all cases.

Mr. J. JONES

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman suggest to those overburdened taxpayers that they go and take the place of these colliers, and so be able to escape Income Tax?

Sir F. HALL

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that there is more evasion among people of the class referred to than among middle-class people?

Works. Staff Nature of Work done.
Office. Industrial. Total.
M. F. M. F.
Hare Street, Bethnal Green Road. 10 13 461 73 557 Reports of House of Commons Debates and Standing Committees, Reports and Minutes of Evidence of Royal Commissions and Select Committees, Labour Exchange Daily Lists, Voters' Lists, Illustrated Official Journal of Patents, and other urgent and general work.
Foreign Office Press, Foreign Office, Downing Street. 1 2 87 15 105 Secret and confidential work for the Foreign Office.
India Office Press, India Office, Gt. Charles Street. 1 2 37 1 41 Urgent and general work for the India Office.
Kingsway Press, India House, Kingsway. 1 — 7 — 8 Daily Weather Reports and Meteorological Charts for the Meteorological Office.
Harrow, Headstone Lane 16 21 678 180 895 Telephone Directories, Voters' Lists, "Surplus," "Trade Marks Journal," and general work for various departments.

The above figures are exclusive of seven established staff at Princes Street and the works, and of five unestablished staff at present at Princes Street.