§ 42. Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the sums, exclusive of allowances for wear and tear, placed to or taken from reserve in the years 1912, 1922 and 1923, and in 1928, 1929 and 1930, in each of the following groups of industries: mining, iron and steel, cotton, woollen and shipbuilding?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThe statistics normally collected regarding the Income Tax do not contain any information as to the disposal of the profits of industry and an estimate of the amount of profits that is not distributed but is placed to reserve can be obtained only by way of a special investigation and then for companies only. Such an investigation covering the years 1912, 1922 and 1923 was made for the information of the Colwyn Committee on National Debt and Taxation and the right hon. Member will find the results in paragraph 51 of the committee's report (Command Paper No. 2800). No similar information is available for the other years named in the right hon. Member's question.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDOn account of its importance, industrially, would it not be possible to get the information available for some recent year, for the purpose of comparison?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEI do not think it would, but I will look into the matter also.