13. Mr. J. T. Priceasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the great hardship inflicted on parents of apprentices by the meagre allowances recognised for Income Tax purposes; and if he will take steps to ensure that a junior going to work is treated not less favourably in this respect than a junior remaining at school.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThis matter was discussed at length in this year's Finance Act debates, when the limit of earnings at which child allowance ceases to be due in these cases was raised from £13 to £26. I would remind the hon. Member that it is within the terms of reference of the Royal Commission.
Mr. PriceBefore the hon. Gentleman and his right hon. Friend proceed to allocate any further bonuses to Surtax payers in the next Budget, will they get down to this question and recognise that there is a grave anomaly between the parents of apprentices and the parents of students who are continuing their education at very great cost to public funds, and that it is a question on which the Treasury should be more alive to the hardships inflicted on many constituents of hon. Members on these benches as well as on the benches opposite?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe hon. Gentleman will recall that in this year's Finance Act the limit of these allowances was doubled. He will also, no doubt, recall that my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General made it clear that any question of a more radical review of this matter must await the views of the Royal Commission.