Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the actual sum paid for National Debt charges in 1913–14; the amount of revenue received for direct taxation in the same year; the proportion of expenditure and revenue to the total in each; and will he give the figures for the same two items for the year 1923–24?
462Wnumber of migrants who proceeded overseas during the year ended 31st March, 1924, under the auspices of the voluntary migration societies, so far as the returns are at present available. It is not possible, without approaching each society, to give separate particulars of the age and sex of the children, but the great majority are under 16 years of age:
Mr. GRAHAMIn 1913–14 the charge for the National Debt was £24,500,000 (of which. £7,600,000 was Sinking Fund for Debt redemption). This was equivalent to 12.4 per cent. of the total expenditure. In 1923–24 the charge for the National Debt (excluding the non-recurrent Budget surplus) was £347,300,000 (of which £40,000,000 was Sinking Fund). This was equivalent to about 44 per cent. of the total expenditure. In 1913–14 the revenue 463W derived from direct taxation was £93,800,000, being 47 per cent. of the total revenue and 57 per cent. of the tax revenue. In 1923–24 the revenue derived from direct taxation was £455,200,000, being 54 per cent. of the total revenue and 63 per cent. of the tax revenue. The Debt charge, like State expenditure under other heads, is met from total revenue and not from any particular items of revenue to the exclusion of other items of revenue.