§ 51. Mr. WILMOTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of Income Tax due but unpaid at the close of the financial year 1933–4 and the corresponding figure for the previous year; and what was the amount of tax collected in the month of April, 1934 and 1933, respectively?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe only estimate available of Income Tax in arrear at the close of a financial year is the amount of tax then outstanding which it is expected will be collected during the ensuing financial year and the figures for this arrear at the end of 1932–33 and 1933–34 were £24,000,000 and £20,000,000 respectively. The Exchequer receipt of Income Tax in the month of April, 1933, amounted to £9,974,000 and the Exchequer receipt for April, 1934, amounted to £8,817,000.
§ Mr. WILMOTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that important financial institutions withheld payment of amounts collected from their clients until after the close of the financial year and thus considerably reduced the visible surplus?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINNo Sir, I am not aware of that fact. Perhaps the hon. Member would give me the information if he has any.
§ Mr. THORNEWhat effective steps are being taken to make these defaulters pay up?
§ 52. Mr. WILMOTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any consideration is being given to the evasion of Surtax by various methods; whether he is aware that these methods have been increasing during the last few years and that books explaining how to defraud the Revenue have been published; and whether it is proposed to introduce provisions in the Finance Bill which will prevent further loss to the Revenue?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINAs the hon. Member is no doubt aware provisions designed to check legal avoidance of taxation have from time to time been placed upon the Statute Book. While I am not proposing to include further preventive legislation in this year's Finance Bill, the hon. Member may rest assured that the matter is not being lost sight of and that if circumstances so require there will be no hesitation in taking whatever steps may be considered necessary to deal with it.
§ Mr. WILMOTHas the right hon. Gentleman any evidence that there is a very considerable increase in what might be referred to as scientific tax evasion?