§ 58. Major Sir KEITH FRASERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the large variety and complexity of the Income Tax forms now issued to the public and the consequent expense to the national Exchequer and to the persons concerned, he will appoint a Committee to consider the simplification of these forms and the reduction of their number?
§ Mr. BALDWINI have already decided to appoint a Committee such as is suggested.
§ 66. Captain BERKELEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the many anomalies of taxation, particularly the assessment of Income Tax upon the joint income of husband and wife, and the objections raised against much of the present indirect taxation, he will consider the appointment of a small expert and impartial Committee to review the whole question and make a Report to this House?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer is in the negative.
§ 79. Sir K. FRASERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of staff employed and the total salaries paid in Government Departments connected with the collection of Income Tax and Super-tax for the years 1914 and 1922, respectively?
§ Mr. BALDWINIt is not possible to isolate the cost of the collection of Income Tax and Super-tax from that of the other duties of the Inland Revenue Department. If, however, my hon. and gallant Friend will consult the fourth and fifth Reports from the Select Committee on Estimates, 1922, he will find a comparison of many details of the Department's expenditure in 1914 and at the present time.
§ 82. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a large amount of overtime is being worked in the Income Tax offices throughout the country; and, in order to provide employment for men unable to find it elsewhere, will he augment the staff and, by reducing overtime to a minimum, economise in the bill for heating and lighting now swollen on account of the offices being kept open until late at night?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe clerical staff in question is already temporarily augmented, and the further increase suggested would take the Department past the point at which inexperienced staff could be employed with profit. It would also overtax the available office accommodation of the Department.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the large number of young men and women who have gone through our colleges with a view to going into the teaching profession, and of the 1506 large number of teachers who are now unemployed; and would it not be better to employ these people than to let other work overtime?
§ Mr. BALDWINI think my answer was quite clear on the point. The overtime is only temporary, after all.
§ Mr. RICHARDSONBut in the meantime the other people are out of work.