§ 54. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is satisfied that adequate powers are possessed by the Customs and Excise Authorities to ensure that dutiable goods imported by the British subsidiaries of foreign companies are declared at their full value; and in how many cases evasion of duty has been discovered and attributed to this cause during the past 12 months?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe powers contained in the Import Duties Act, 1932, have so far proved generally adequate 1171 for dealing with the class of case to which my hon. Friend refers. As regards the second part of the question, it is not possible to sort out cases of any particular kind from the great mass of transactions which the import trade comprises, but my hon. Friend may take it that the number of cases of the type he has in mind, in which the value entered by the importer has been increased as the result of investigation, is considerable.
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSHas the hon. Gentleman considered instructing the Inspectors of Taxes to make sure that these subsidiaries take imported goods into account at the same price at which they are valued for Customs?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe Customs have full powers and exercise them.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSI mean action by the Inland Revenue officers so that any evasion becomes a liability for Income Tax?