35. MABANEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state why the amount of revenue collected under the head of miscellaneous receipts is so much less during the current year than during the corresponding period of last year; and whether he can also say what amounts are expected to be collected under this head during the remainder of the year to justify the estimated figure, in view of the fact that last year's windfall of £10,000,000 will not be repeated?
§ Mr. COOPERMy hon. Friend has really given the answer himself to the first part of the question. There has been no special receipt this year corresponding to the sum of £10,000,000 from the War Loan Depreciation Fund made available to the Exchequer on the passing of the Finance Act, 1933. As regards the last part of the question, my right hon. Friend is unable to depart from the recognised practice which is not to give details of any particular item of budgetry revenue, beyond the figures already published, before the results of the year are known.
§ Mr. MABANEIs it correct to say that, apart from this item of Miscellaneous Receipts, the returns to date show that the national finances are in a far better condition than they were at this time last year?
§ Mr. COOPERI would not like to make any statement on that matter.