§ 51. Sir William Darlingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what complaints of delay on the work done under Pay As You Earn by business firms he has received; how much taxation is collected by this means and what is the cost to the State of this service by business firms.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallMost employers operate P.A.Y.E. with efficiency and expedition and complaints about it are rare. 1165 I would refer the hon. Member to Table 41 of the recently published Annual Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue (Cmd. 7362) which shows the amounts of tax deducted in recent years. The information asked for in the third part of the Question is not available.
§ Sir W. DarlingMay I ask if the Minister can form any estimate at all of the cost of this tax collection service, which is rendered unpaid to the Crown by the business firms of this country?
§ Mr. Glenvil HallIt is quite impossible. I would not like to hazard a guess. I wish I could.
§ Colonel J. R. H. HutchisonCould the right hon. Gentleman say whether, in respect of this Question, the boot is not on the other foot; and what is the period of delay in the Inland Revenue offices in dealing with arrears of P.A.Y.E. at the present time?
§ Mr. Glenvil HallWe get very few complaints about delay. The suggestion of delay was contained in the Question of the hon. Member.