HC Deb 09 December 1958 vol 597 c192
17. Captain Pilkington

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentage of taxes compared to national income in 1951 and at the latest date in 1958.

Mr. Amory

Central Government revenue from taxation amounted to about 34½ per cent. of the national income in 1951 and 29 per cent. in 1957. I regret that comparable figures for 1958 are not yet available.

Captain Pilkington

Would my right hon. Friend agree that this is a very welcome sign of the success of Tory government?

Mr. Amory

I should be inclined to agree with my hon. and gallant Friend.

Mr. H. Wilson

Would the Chancellor also agree that the amount of taxation raised by the present Government has increased by 50 per cent. since 1951 and that if the national income had risen as much under the present Government as it did under the Labour Government, the percentage year by year of the national income going into taxation instead of this policy of stagnation would have fallen even more rapidly?

Mr. Amory

I am not inclined to agree with the right hon. Gentleman.