§ Mr. John Home Robertson (East Lothian)I am grateful for the fact that a Division was called, thus giving me the opportunity to leave a Standing Committee and come to the Chamber to present this petition on behalf of 235 members of the Prestonpans Labour party club. It calls on the House to repeal the legislation imposing a poll tax in Scotland.
It is well known that there is universal feeling in Scotland that the legislation is pernicious and unfair and is likely to cause terrible hardship for many people on low incomes. There is universal feeling in Scotland that the House would be well advised to repeal this damaging legislation. I have no hesitation in supporting the petition on behalf of my constituents.
To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)For the convenience of the House, I shall present two petitions together, which are both for the repeal of the iniquitous poll tax legislation that is euphemistically entitled the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act.
The two petitions are from all the members of the Cumnock and district branch of the National Association of Widows, and from the residents of Rankinston, a mining town in my constituency. The petition was carried out by S. McColgan of Scenery Hill cottage, Rankinston. 949 The number of signatures on the petition is 420, which is almost all the adult population of Rankinston. They vote almost 100 per cent. Labour—and all the better for it.
Both the Cumnock and district branch of the National Association of Widows and the residents of Rankiston petition the House for the repeal of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act, the iniquitous poll tax measure, because it is unworkable and it will be much more costly to raise the same amount of money, or in some cases less money, raised by the present rating system. Above all, it is unfair.
To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. Calum A. Macdonald (Western Isles)With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I beg leave to present a petition on behalf of almost 1,000 residents of the Western Isles. The petition complains that the introduction of the community charge, or poll tax, will impose upon the people of the Western Isles and upon the people of Scotland in general an unfair tax that is inefficient, to boot. It will hit particularly hard those who are already poor and also rural areas. It will be expensive to administer and it will entail intolerable intrusions upon privacy to administer.
The petition concludes with a prayer to repeal the tax.
To lie upon the Table.