§ 56. Sir ARNOLD WILSONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the difficulties involved in the administration of the Medicine Stamp Duty Acts, he will undertake a reconstruction of this tax and a revision of the conditions attached to it?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe Medicine Stamp Duty is governed by a series of statutes considerably more than a century old. These Acts are in many respects out-of-date and unsuited to present day conditions and they produce a number of anomalies which makes the administration of the duty extremely difficult. I have come to the conclusion that the tax needs reconstruction, but a number of conflicting interests are concerned, and in all the circumstances I think the most appropriate course would be for the matter to be considered by a Select Committee of 1955 this House. I propose therefore to move for the appointment of a Select Committee to examine the law as it at present stands and to recommend what changes appear to be desirable.
§ Sir ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELIs my right hon. Friend aware that for some time past what is now called legal evasion has been effectively used against the provisions of the Patent Medicines Stamp Duties?