42. Mr. Robertsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will exempt miners' safety gloves from the Purchase Tax, having regard to their value in pre venting accidents to hands, the most numerous of miners' injuries, and to the urgent necessity of increasing the output of coal?
§ Sir K. WoodI could not exempt miners' safety gloves from the tax without at the same time exempting all other kinds of protective gloves used or adapted for use in industry, and the interests of the Revenue prevent me from doing that.
Mr. RobertsonIs it not a fact that the sale of safety gloves has almost ceased because miners earning an average of 12s. a day cannot afford to buy them? Having regard to the interest of the men in preventing injury, and the still greater interest of the State, should not this tax be now waived?
§ Sir K. WoodI would gladly help in that connection, but I must point out the difficulty which I have stated in my Reply.
§ Mr. T. SmithWould it not be a good thing if the colliery companies themselves provided them?