§ 53. Mr. Keelingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide in the next Finance Bill for every Government Department collecting money from the public to recover interest between the date when the charge is incurred and the date when the account is rendered.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallNo, Sir.
§ Mr. KeelingDoes the Financial Secretary realise that to confine P.A.Y.W.B.—Pay as You Wait for the Bill—to the small number of persons who pay the Special Contribution or Death Duties looks very much like one law for the comparatively rich and another law for the comparatively poor?
§ Sir Waldron SmithersMay I ask the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is just for the Government to demand interest on any payment before the taxpayer knows what that amount is?
§ Mr. Glenvil HallIt was all explained when the Finance Act was passed; if discount is allowed on one side, it is fair that interest should be charged on the other.
§ Mr. Oliver StanleyWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether all the assessments have gone out, and if not, when he expects them to be completed?
§ Mr. Glenvil HallOwing to the shortage of staff, I am sorry to say that all the assessments have not yet gone out; but the Inland Revenue is doing its best and is making great headway.
§ Mr. StanleyIs it not disgraceful that assessments of a tax on which interest has to be paid after 1st January should not have gone out by the middle of March, and that the right hon. Gentleman can give no information as to when all the assessments will have gone out?
§ Mr. BossomCould the Minister say if all the cheques received already have been deposited with the banks?
§ 54. Mr. Keelingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his regulations provide for interest to be paid on unpaid interest on the Special Contribution.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallNo, Sir.
§ Mr. KeelingThat's decent.