§ 25. Mr. Eadieasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue from selective employment tax has been received from shipping companies engaged in the export trade during 1969 and to the nearest available date.
§ The Minister of State, Treasury (Mr. William Rodgers)I regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. EadieIs my hon. Friend aware that it has been represented to me by people engaged in the export trade that this is a deterrent to the furtherance of the export cause? As the revenue is surely not all that much, does not my right hon. Friend think that something could be done? Surely S.E.T. on these companies is not worth levying, considering the revenue involved.
§ Mr. RodgersThe objections, if they have been made in the terms my hon. Friend sugegsts, are a little wide of the mark, because shipping companies do not pay the tax for foreign-going seamen and can get it refunded for most of their other staff.