§ Captain BAGLEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in his Budget statement of 30th April he included in his estimate of total expenditure a sum of £20,000,000 to meet the cost of the recent award to coal-miners; whether he also suggested a margin of £25,000,000 for general contingencies and further general demands; and whether, in the event of the whole cost being now charged to the coal consumer, he will remit taxation to the extent of this £45,000,000?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe increased charge of6s. a ton only dates from this month and will still leave a heavy charge on the Exchequer for the previous period. But for the 6s. charge the Estimate of £26,400,000 would probably have been doubled. The margin allowed in the Budget Statement for contingencies had no reference to coal, and I am clearly in mo position to remit taxation.