§ 14. Mr. Rankinasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many court actions are now pending against cinema proprietors for non-payment of the statutory levy.
§ Mr. RankinIs the Chancellor aware that under the voluntary system there was provision for hardship cases, that now, under the statutory levy, no such provision is made and that, as a result, there will be an increasing number of these prosecutions? Will he not look at the appropriate order in order to see if he can do something to stop these prosecutions by amending it?
Mr. AmoryI am really only directly concerned with collection. Any question affecting policy should be directed to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Sir A. V. HarveyWill my right hon. Friend undertake in the months ahead to look carefully into the cinema industry and review sympathetically the difficulties through which it is passing?
Mr. H. WilsonDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that if his predecessor had taken the advice we gave him last year and the advice we gave to his predecessor the year before there would not be as many cinemas closing today as the right hon. Gentleman knows there are?