HC Deb 25 June 1953 vol 516 cc2086-7
28. Mr. H. Wilson

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the figures of Entertainments Duty recorded in respect of cinema attendances in May, 1952, and May, 1953, respectively, and the percentage fall between the two periods.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

About £3 30 million in May, 1952, and £307 million in May, 1953, representing a drop of about 7 per cent.

Mr. Wilson

In view of this serious fall, which the Chancellor admitted on Monday was giving him cause for concern, will the Financial Secretary ask his right hon. Friend to reconsider the answer he gave, that he will not take any action on this question until next year, and in view of the serious problem facing the industry at present, will he consider some new Amendment before the Report stage of the Finance Bill which will deal with the problem disclosed by this answer?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The danger of jumping to conclusions on the basis of one month's figures is illustrated by the fact that the receipts for April, 1953, show a slight increase over those for April of the previous year. With regard to the more general matters to which the right hon. Gentleman referred, I would remind him that this matter was debated fully on the Committee stage of the Finance Bill and that after debate the Committee recorded a decision on the matter.

Mr. Wilson

But is the hon. Gentleman aware that that is a very misleading answer, because figures were given in this House on Monday, and not contested by the Government, which show that for the six months from November last to April there was a fall of 7 per cent., that for the months from January to March there was a fall of 8 per cent. compared with last year, that only in April—which was an abnormally wet month over Easter which is bound to affect these figures— was there an improvement compared with last year? Therefore, this May figure does not represent only this one month but a continuance of a trend of six months?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

All those considerations were amply and admirably deployed by the right hon. Gentleman during the debate to which I have referred, but I must remind him that, notwithstanding this, the majority of the Committee decided against it.