§ 50. Sir A. M. SAMUELasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will arrange to state in each future annual report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue an estimate of the approximate number of incomes in excess of £600 per annum chargeable to Income Tax in the financial year reviewed?
§ Major ELLIOTThe only statistics available regarding the distribution of incomes are those relating to surtax-payers. To extend the scope of the statistics as suggested by my hon. Friend would involve a considerable amount of extra expenditure, and in present circumstances I do not think that it would be justifiable to add to the taxpayer's burdens for this purpose.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELA figure of 2,300,000 Income Tax payers is given in the last Inland Revenue Report. Would it not be possible without any great cost to split up that figure? The approximate information would be very useful.
§ Major ELLIOTThe difficulty is that these are estimates, and not accurate figures. It would be most undesirable to give estimates which might not prove to be accurate.