§ 54. Commander King-Hallasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended that Government publications will be subject to the Purchase Tax?
§ Sir K. WoodYes, Sir.
§ Mr. Craven-EllisIs my right hon. Friend aware of the public indignation about the tax on newspapers?
§ Commander King-HallDoes the Chancellor realise that in this particular case the Government are the wholesalers and that a minimum number of Government publications must be printed, so that the only way to get back some of that cost is to sell additional copies to the public?
§ 55. Commander King-Hallasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended that the Bible will be subject to the Purchase Tax?
§ Sir K. WoodYes, Sir. Income Tax is payable on the profits of the sales of Bibles by commercial publishers and booksellers, and the liability of such books to the Purchase Tax would seem no less equitable as a contribution to the war effort.
§ Commander King-HallDoes the Chancellor not realise that this publication is in a special category, not only by reason of its content, but also because it can be published only under licence and, therefore, has statutory recognition of its special character?
§ Sir K. WoodThat may very well be so, but I suggest that a tax on the Bible in these circumstances is a contribution to the national war effort.
§ Mr. ThorneDoes it not amount to a tax on Christianity?