Wireless Batteries (Tax)

HC Deb 21 October 1952 vol 505 cc842-3

17. Mr. Crouch

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will remove Purchase Tax from dry batteries used in wireless sets.

Mr. R. A. Butler

No, Sir. I fear I cannot now make any statement on this subject.

Mr. Crouch

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the injustice which is inflicted on people living in the countryside where there is no means of using mains electricity? They pay Purchase Tax on wireless sets the same as on the ordinary mains set, but every time a battery runs down they have to pay the additional Purchase Tax which people with an all-mains set do not have to pay.

Mr. Butler

I have been fully informed on that, but that does not alter the fact that on this question of taxation I cannot now make any statement.

Mr. Shurmer

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many thousands of old people living in almshouses have no electrical installation and have to buy batteries for their sets? Poor people who are living where there is still no electrical installation and old age pensioners are very hard hit by this.