§ As for the Entertainments Duty, we have just completed the review which hon. Members asked for last year, and I should like to thank everyone who has helped us with it. I am specially grateful to the cinema industry for the ingenious scheme they have put forward. Unfortunately from my point of view, it had two major defects—it cost several million pounds and would have meant increasing expenditure on American films.
§ One of the main points in last year's debates concerned speedway racing—which together with other racing up to now has paid the full rates, although other sports have the advantage of the reduced rate. I shall deal with this in the following way. I now propose a new scale, in between the two present ones for all kinds of sport. In general, it will be rather less than half way between the present scales, and will give real relief to sports now on the full scale including speedway racing. I hope that admission prices can now be reduced. I am afraid it means, of course, that sports, such as football and cricket, which are now on the lower scale and have been getting it for some time, will have to cost a bit more. The reductions in duty will operate from 30th March, but the increase will not start until 31st August.
§ Finally, I must close a loophole in the Finance Act, 1946, and make it quite clear that music hall and other variety enter- 1294 tainments do not get the exemption intended for educational activities. I hope that it will not be said that by taxing music for the millions I am cutting education. This amendment will come into force tomorrow. The proposals as a whole will cost me about £250,000 in a full year, but this year, because I am giving the relief before I take the increase, they will cost £500,000.