HC Deb 09 February 1956 vol 548 cc1782-4
8. Mr. Crouch

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Income Tax payers are over 85 years of age.

Mr. H. Brooke

I regret this information is not available.

Mr. Crouch

Will my right hon. Friend endeavour to get this information with a view to giving people over 85 years of age a few hundred pounds a year tax-free, in view of the diminished purchasing value of the money on which they retire?

Dame Irene Ward

My hon. Friend should not commit himself to 85.

Mr. Brooke

The difficulty in meeting my hon. Friend's suggestion is that it would mean putting yet one more question to Income Tax payers, and that I am reluctant to do.

12. Mr. Jennings

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in preparing his forthcoming Budget, he will consider relieving clergy from the payment of Income Tax on Easter offerings.

Mr. H. Brooke

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

Mr. Jennings

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this Question is a hardy annual? [An HON. MEMBER: "So is the Answer."] Is he further aware that clergymen of all denominations have suffered as much as anyone from the ill effects of post-war inflation, that they have not had the advantage of regular increases of stipend and that this concession would be one way in which the Treasury could offset the hardship which is well known to everybody?

Mr. Brooke

I have the deepest sympathy with the clergy of all denominations in facing their financial difficulties at the present time, but on this matter I cannot at present add anything to what has been said by representatives of successive Governments in the House in past years.

19. Mr. Pargiter

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what authority the Inland Revenue Department is anticipating the will of Parliament in Pay-As-You-Earn calculations.

Mr. H. Brooke

If the hon. Member will let me know precisely what he has in mind, I will gladly look into the matter.

Mr. Pargiter

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in my constituency the Inland Revenue authorities are calculating for P.A.Y.E. purposes teachers' contributions towards pensions at 6 per cent., a matter which has not yet received the assent of Parliament? Would the right hon. Gentleman not regard that as a breach of Parliamentary Privilege?

Mr. Brooke

I think that the hon. Member will forgive me for not having deduced from the terms of his Question precisely what he had in mind. Now that I have, I will certainly look into the matter.

20. Dame Irene Ward

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider freeing from liability for tax all insurance benefits and making all contributions for the Insurance Fund liable to tax thus ensuring that the contributors not liable for Income Tax do not pay more for their benefits than those paying tax.

Mr. H. Brooke

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

Dame Irene Ward

Would my right hon. Friend intimate to the Chancellor that the hon. Member for Sowerby (Mr. Houghton), as well as the hon. Member for Tynemouth, has put forward this proposal, and in view of the fact that there is apparent agreement on both sides of the House, what an excellent opportunity this would be to make some progress?

Mr. Brooke

If I understand my hon. Friend's proposal aright, it would considerably increase the Revenue and the net amount taken from taxpayers. Questions of that sort must be matters for the Budget.