63. Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that grave embarrassment is caused to those who depend on small fixed incomes by the delay in repayment of Income Tax deducted at the source; 232 and that in these cases it means that the applicant often has to live on credit during the months which elapse between the receipt of his claim and repayment being made; and whether steps will be taken to remedy this grievance?
Mr. YOUNGI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave on this subject yesterday to the hon. Member for South Kensington. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of that reply.
§ 74. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any calculation has been made, and, if so, with what result, in regard to the cost of exempting the superannuation funds of societies from Income Tax on their investments as recommended by the Royal Commission; and whether, seeing that these funds are of great benefit, financial and moral, to the State, the Government will this year carry out the recommendations of the Royal Commission?
Mr. YOUNGIt is estimated that the cost of the exemption to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers would be about £100,000 a year at the present rate of Income Tax. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave him on the 24th May. Clauses on this subject have been put down for discussion during the Committee stage of the Finance Bill, and my hon. and gallant Friend will no doubt think it more desirable not to anticipate that discussion.
§ 44. Mr. BOWERMANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that summonses for nonpayment of Income Tax have been served upon workmen in the offices in which they were at work instead of their place of residence; and whether this practice has the sanction of the Somerset House authorities?
Mr. YOUNGI am not aware of any circumstances as mentioned by the right hon. Member. I should observe that officers serving such summonses act under the directions and authority of the court issuing the summonses, and not of the Board of Inland Revenue, which has, therefore, no control over the manner and place of service.
§ Mr. BOWERMANMay I take it that the hon. Gentleman recognises what a serious thing it is for a revenue officer to go into the office where a man is working and serve a summons on him before his fellow workmen?
Mr. YOUNGI quite understand the reasons for the question of the right hon. Gentlemen, and I have attempted to explain to him that the service of the summons was by an officer of the petty sessional court acting under the direction of that court, and not by that of the Board of Inland Revenue; it is not, therefore, open to them to interfere.