§ 40. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further proposals he has for restricting the sums which company directors are allowed to charge as expenses.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanI shall keep this matter under close review, but I would point out that the law already provides substantial safeguards for the protection of the revenue in the handling of claims for expenses.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Chancellor really think that this talk about substantial safeguards will satisfy public opinion, which has been aroused as a result of the Docker revelations? Does he not realise that people are now asking to what extent this charging of expenses is going on in a wide range of industries?
§ Mr. MacmillanYes, Sir, but I cannot make statements about individual cases. All I say, which is true, is that I believe that the law has specific safeguards, and that those safeguards are applied.
§ Sir R. BoothbyIs it not the case that poor Sir Bernard Docker's claim for expenses was turned down?
Mr. H. WilsonSince recent evidence has shown that what my hon. Friends and I said in the Budget debate about the inadequacy of these safeguards was more than abundantly justified, will the Chancellor, in keeping the situation under review, bear in mind the suggestion that a number of us made that only a percentage of the amount devoted to business expenses by any firm should be accepted by the Revenue as expenses deductible for Income Tax and Profits Tax purposes?
§ Mr. MacmillanI would, of course, bear in mind any representations the right hon. Gentleman has made or may make, but he must not expect me now to anticipate my next Budget.