§ 77. Mr. BRACKENasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms engaged in the woollen trade in Yorkshire paid Excess Profits Duty amounting to more than £100,000 each?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENI regret I am not able to furnish the information asked for by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BRACKENIf the right hon. Gentleman is not able to furnish this information, how is he able to make the statement that these businesses made profits of 1,000 per cent. on their turnover? Is that statement inaccurate?
§ Mr. SNOWDENNo, that statement is perfectly accurate, and, at the proper opportunity, I shall be very glad indeed to furnish the official estimate on which my statements were based.
§ Mr. BRACKENWill the right hon. Gentleman give it now?
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLECan the right hon. Gentleman say if there is even one firm which has been making such profits?
§ Mr. SNOWDENIf the hon. Member had listened to my answer, he would not have put that question, because, in reply to a similar question in regard to the cotton trade a few weeks ago, I pointed out that we had no statistics with regard to excess profits divided into trades and industries.
§ Mr. BRACKENWhat statistics had the right hon. Gentleman for the statements which he made in this House?