HC Deb 31 July 1956 vol 557 cc1136-7
33. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the taxation per head of population for each of the years from 1938–39 to 1956–57.

Mr. H. Macmillan

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Davies

When hon. Members have the opportunity of seeing those figures, will they find that they show, as a famous Prime Minister once said, that they are "going up and up and up and on and on and on?" Will the right hon. Gentleman, in future, when he is helping the Conservative Central Office to produce "All the Answers "ensure that it gets accurate figures and statistics rather than the mythical ones when Labour was in power?

Mr. Macmillan

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will read the figures when they are published.

Mr. Remnant

Do the figures include those showing the reductions in the numbers of those paying tax?

Mr. Macmillan

This is a limited inquiry, but it would be very tedious to read out this very long table. That is the only reason why I am not reading it.

Following is the Answer: Receipts from Inland Revenue duties, Customs and Excise duties and motor vehicle duties per head of the population in each of the years 1938–39 to 1956–57, are as follows:
£
1938–39 … … … … 19
1939–40 … … … … 21
1940–41 … … … … 28
1941–42 … … … … 41
1942–43 … … … … 51
1943–44 … … … … 60
1944–45 … … … … 64
1945–46 … … … … 65
1946–47 … … … … 61
1947–48 … … … … 66
1948–49 … … … … 73
1949–50 … … … … 73
1950–51 … … … … 74
1951–52 … … … … 83
1952–53 … … … … 84
1953–54 … … … … 82
1954–55 … … … … 88
1955–56 … … … … 91
1956–57 … … … … 96