§ 7. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what demands have been received from those who pay salary tax in Hong Kong that salary taxes should be raised; and what reply has been made.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodNone, Sir.
§ Mr. ThomsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Society of Friends in Hong Kong made representations in this sense to the Colonial Government? Has he not been informed about those representations in answer to my Question? Is it not worth while taking some notice when reputable citizens who pay Income Tax take the unusual course of saying that there is a need in that Territory for even higher tax?
§ Mr. MacleodThe hon. Member should not get so cross with me before he studies the matter. I know perfectly well that the Society of Friends has made representations, but, being a society, the Society of Friends is not liable to salary tax.
§ Mr. ThomsonThe Secretary of State is evading the issue. The Society of Friends made these representations as individuals, saying that they as Income Tax payers felt that there was this need. Is he not to do something about this? Is he aware that the last time Income Tax was raised in Hong Kong was in 1950–51?
§ Mr. MacleodI assure the hon. Gentleman that, far from evading the issue, I am answering the Question which he put on the Order Paper; if he wants me to answer a different Question, I will do that, too. Of course, notice has been taken of the representations which have been made by the Society of Friends, which has been informed that the Hong Kong Government's intentions about taxation can obviously be disclosed only to the Legislative Council.