§ 43. Mrs. COPELANDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that hardship is being experienced by taxpayers over the reforms instituted in the first 1031–32 Budget, he will take steps to revert to the previous system of income tax collecting, which enabled easier personal contact between the collectors and the income-tax payers?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt would not now be practicable to abandon the reforms to which my hon. Friend refers and to return to a system of collection which was condemned by the Royal Commission on the Income Tax in 1920 and by the Public Accounts Committee in 1611 1926. The reforms were designed to provide greater security for the Revenue and to reduce the cost of administration without diminishing the facilities afforded to taxpayers generally, and the experience so far available shows that both these objects are in process of being attained.
§ Mrs. COPELANDDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that in towns 12 miles distant from the main centre the payers of taxes have to waste a whole afternoon, often at a cost of 3s. or 3s. 6d., in order to come in and chat with the Income Tax collector; and does he not consider that something could be done to alleviate that?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIf my hon. Friend will send me particulars of the case she has in mind, I will look into it.
§ Mrs. COPELANDThank you very much.