§ 52. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give an assurance that the benefits of the abolition of the duty on patent medicines will be passed on to the public by reduction in the prices of the articles concerned; and that the concession will not be solely utilised to increase the profits of the proprietary medicine manufacturers?
§ Sir J. SimonIn evidence before the Select Committee, who reported in 1937 on the Medicine Stamp Duties, one important body stated that if the duty were removed the consumer would receive the whole of the benefit and I rely on the good will of other manufacturers and vendors to follow this excellent example.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherIs it not very desirable that the repeal of this archaic tax should not result in certain individuals making larger profits than they do at present out of deceiving and gulling the public?
§ Sir J. SimonI am not prepared to accept the suggestion that all remedies deserve epithets of that sort, but it is certainly desirable that, when a duty is abolished or reduced, as far as possible the benefit should be passed on to the public just as the extra cost is passed on when a tax is increased.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherI would point out that I referred to "certain individuals."