§ 53. Mr. Stourtonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds emoluments of £1,000 a year, in addition to a salary of 5,000 a year, paid to the Chairman of B.O.A.C., are admitted as being free of Income Tax by His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes.
§ Sir J. AndersonAs I have explained in the House on previous occasions, it would be contrary to all precedent and inconsistent with the secrecy that governs 1284 the assessment of taxation, to afford any information in regard to the taxation liability of particular taxpayers.
§ Mr. StourtonIs my right hon. Friend aware that his reply is completely unsatisfactory, and that any director or chairman of a company is entitled to charge travelling and entertainment expenses to the company concerned? Will he explain, therefore, why there should be special privilege in this particular case?
§ Sir J. AndersonI think, if my hon. Friend had chosen to express his Question in rather different terms, I might have been able to give a reply more acceptable to him.
§ Mr. StourtonMay I have it now?
§ Sir J. AndersonNo, Sir.
§ Sir H. WilliamsCan we have an assurance that no person is being treated exceptionally with regard expenses allowances?
§ Sir J. AndersonYes, Sir, the House may certainly have that assurance.
§ Mr. StokesArising out of the Chancellor's first reply, may I ask how his tacit admission of the allegation in that Question ties up with his reply to me that no civil servant is exempted from Income Tax?
§ Sir J. AndersonThere was no tacit admission in my answer and I am glad to be given the opportunity of making that point clear. There was a factual misstatement in the Question but there was no admission in my answer and, so far as my reply to the Question is concerned, what I stated then was perfectly accurate.
§ Mr. StourtonI beg to give notice that owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I will raise the subject again next week.