HC Deb 21 September 1948 vol 456 c699
55. Mr. Paget

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now consider remitting arrears of taxation resulting from errors made by the pay departments of the Services in deducting tax from Service pay during the war.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

No, Sir.

Mr. Paget

Does not my right hon. Friend realise that in these cases, where the fault is entirely with the Service Department concerned, the payment of taxation at the time would have been no hardship, but that to make the call now, particularly on pensioners, is a very great hardship indeed, and cannot that be looked into?

Mr. Glenvil Hall

I do realise that in individual cases there may be hardship, but a tax which is legally chargeable cannot be remitted simply because it was not asked for at the due date.

Squadron-Leader Fleming

In cases where the tax has been claimed from these ex-Service men, could not my right hon. Friend's Department arrange for the repayment of that tax to be spread over a number of years at the rate of, say. 6d. per month?

Mr. Glenvil Hall

That is exactly what is done. It is spread over a period according to the ability of the individual to pay it without hardship.