§ 20. Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to improve the accuracy of assessment for tax purposes of the incomes of the self-employed.
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Harold Lever)The Revenue do all that can reasonably be done with the staff available.
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsWhy do the Government treat self-employed people like gipsies? They are assessed for Income Tax purposes according to purely artificial conventions and they are to be excluded from earnings-related social 215 security benefits. Are not the Government admitting their incompetence?
§ Mr. LeverNo, Sir. The simple answer is that to adopt a perfectionist attitude in this matter would lead to an immense amount of work without any worthwhile gain.
§ Mr. Donald WilliamsIs not the Financial Secretary aware of the utter waste of time which arises from the issue of Schedule D provisional assessments on self-employed people in August and September when, if the Revenue waited for two or three months, they could be issued as accurate assessments based on information supplied?
§ Mr. LeverThese delays are often produced by taxpayers—but I am not clear what the hon. Gentleman wants us to do about them.