HC Deb 28 July 1953 vol 518 c1080
31. Sir J. Crowder

asked the Financial Secretary of the Treasury whether a decision has yet been reached on the suggestion to print in Post Office Savings bank books a note about liability to Income Tax.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)

Yes, Sir. Her Majesty's Government have decided to accept the suggestion made by my hon. Friend and other hon. Members, and new Post Office Savings Bank books will in future contain a reminder that depositors who make a return of income for Income Tax purposes should include therein any interest on the deposits.

Sir J. Crowder

While I thank my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask him whether he will consult his noble Friend the Postmaster-General with a view to giving more publicity by means of posters in the Post Office to the desirability for some people of buying savings certificates which are, of course, not liable to tax? In many cases it seems that the public do not know the advantages of these savings certificates.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I always pay attention to my hon. Friend's suggestions, but, of course, the publicity in respect of national savings is in general undertaken, in my view most efficiently, by the National Savings Committees.