HC Deb 01 May 1958 vol 587 cc553-4
8. Mr. J. Howard

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is now the estimated annual cost of collecting entertainment tax from cinemas in the current financial year.

Mr. Simon

I regret that no separate estimate of the cost of collecting this duty is available.

Mr. Howard

Does my hon. and learned Friend not consider it important to obtain these statistics? Unless we know the cost of collecting the Entertainments Duty, it is quite impossible to view the value of the tax in relation to its cost. Will he please take steps to obtain the information?

Mr. Simon

The officers who are charged with the administration of the Entertainments Duty have many other duties as well. This is only a small part of their obligations. So far as the general position is concerned, the cost of collecting and administering Customs and Excise Duties and allied matters was about 0.82 per cent. of the revenue collected, and it is not thought that the proportionate cost of collecting Entertainments Duty differs substantially from that.