§ 58. Mr. John Wilmotasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will explain by what means any future changes in the rate of income tax or in the allowances will be carried into effect immediately under the Pay-as-you-earn scheme.
§ Sir J. AndersonI appreciate my hon. Friend's interest in this important matter, but I think we had better wait and see.
§ 59. Mr. Mathersasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends, after having full experience of the Pay-as-you-earn system, to alter the date of the annual deciding the code number for each income taxpayer, so that any budgetary changes in Income Tax may be brought into operation as soon as practicable after the passing of the Finance Bill.
§ Sir J. AndersonI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have just given to my hon. Friend the Member for Kenning-ton (Mr. Wilmot).
§ Mr. MathersDoes it not appear to the Chancellor obvious that, unless he refrains from putting into operation the changes that are brought about in the Budget, until the next ordinary period for changing the code number, great difficulties will arise?
§ Sir J. Andersonquite recognise that the matter is complicated. It is really much too complicated to be dealt with effectively by question and answer, but when changes in the rate or conditions of tax are made, appropriate provisions will have to be made for carrying the changes through into the Pay-as-you-earn system.
§ Mr. WilmotWould the right hon. Gentleman take advantage of some suitable opportunity to explain this matter to the House and consider whether it would be desirable to change the date of the Budget statement to a date before the end of the financial year in order to make any adjustment of the Income Tax rate applicable to the Pay-as-you-earn scheme?
§ Sir J. AndersonI will keep that in mind.