§ 52. Dame Irene Wardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what examination he is making into the position of pensioners for whom the Treasury is responsible; and the tax position of those on small fixed incomes who will be affected by the rise in fuel costs and rents.
§ Mr. PowellI would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which my right hon. Friend gave to her and to my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Sharples)on 2nd July.
§ Dame Irene WardWill my hon. Friend bear in mind that, since those Answers, the Prime Minister has made a speech in which he pointed out that this country was very good for most people, with which I concur? At the same time, may I ask him if he would do something for these people without whose help and thrift in days past this country would not exist to be good for the rest of the people?
§ Mr. PowellIn my right hon. Friend's Budget, a good deal has been done for the tax position of those on small fixed incomes.
§ 53. Dame Irene Wardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will undertake to examine the position of those in the small range of incomes who were affected by the alteration in the band of income tax reliefs in the 1955 Budget, with a view to ameliorating their position while, at the same time, preserving the arrangements in respect of the higher income groups.
§ Mr. PowellMy right hon. Friend has noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.
§ Dame Irene WardWill my hon. Friend convey to his right hon. Friend the fact that I am looking forward to seeing him tomorrow morning and providing him with the facts and figures on which I hope he will act in his next Budget, and that I am starting in good time so that he cannot argue that he has not been told?