§ 55. Sir W. Smithersasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of the salary paid to Government employees in 1939 and 1946, respectively; and what these amounts represent in terms of Income Tax
§ Mr. Dalton£380 million in the Estimate for 1946–47, and £137 million in the Estimates for 1939–40 plus a substantial additional sum under the Vote of Credit. On current yield of Income Tax the provision in the 1946–47 Estimate represents 3s. in the £the provision in the 1939–40 Estimate, on the yield at that time, represented 2s. 6d.
§ Sir W. SmithersDo the right hon. Gentleman arid His Majesty's Government set any limit to the amount that is to be spent on civil servants? Does the Chancellor realise that many of them would be much better employed in productive industry?
§ Mr. DaltonThat is all very debatable. Of course, my answer to the hon. Gentleman's Question brings out the fact that there is not a very great difference between the equivalent in Income Tax at the present time with that under the Government of the late Mr. Neville Chamberlain before the war.