THE MARQUESS OF ABERDEEN AND TEMAIRasked His Majesty's Government: (a) what are the number of His Majesty's subjects who, liable to Special Contribution, and having paid after January 1, 1949, the full amount and the interest at 2 per cent. to the date of payment, have, up to November 30, received a demand from the Special Commissioner's Office at Lynwood for a duplicate payment of interest, notwithstanding the fact that interest had already been paid; (b) what is the number of officials still employed as at November 30 on Special Contribution assessments and interest thereon, included and not included respectively in Cmd. 7829.
LORD PAKENHAMThere are 24 cases in which duplicate demands for interest are known to have been made. The errors, which are regretted, have arisen through the failure of somewhat inexperienced staff to follow the instructions designed to prevent them. Arrangements have been made for additional checks which should prevent such errors in future. The total staff engaged on the assessment and collection of Special Contribution and the interest thereon was 154 as at November 30. The whole of this staff was included in Cmd. 7829; the staff employed on the work since October 1, to which date Cmd. 7829 related, has in fact decreased.
§ House adjourned at ten minutes before seven o'clock