HC Deb 06 February 1962 vol 653 cc216-7
21. Dame Irene Ward

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an assurance that the claims of those living on small fixed incomes to a share in the national prosperity will not be overlooked in the forthcoming Budget.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

I can certainly assure my hon. Friend that the position of those living on small fixed incomes will be very much in my mind when I am considering the next Budget.

Dame Irene Ward

After that quite sympathetic reply, may I ask my right hon. and learned Friend whether he has read the speech of the retiring Chairman of Barclays Bank, in which he said that the policy of Her Majesty's Government had not been very favourable to those living on small fixed incomes? Will my right hon. and learned Friend take that speech into consideration and do the utmost he can to redeem the lack of policy which was so detrimental to those people?

Mr. Lloyd

I have certainly read the speech of the Chairman of Barclays Bank. I have also read carefully the letter which my hon. Friend wrote to me and I will take all those matters into consideration.

Mr. Callaghan

Will the Chancellor examine the allegation that during the last six years the burden of taxation has been transferred from the shoulders of people earning over £20 a week to those on small fixed incomes and that the proportion in tax as between the two has varied very much against those earning and living on small fixed incomes?

Mr. Lloyd

I do not believe that to be the case, but I will certainly examine the hon. Member's proposition.