§ 73. Mr. Remnantasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what has been the result of his further inquiry into the powers and numbers of officials authorised to carry out inspections and investigations in private homes.
§ Mr. JayI can find no evidence that any vexatious use has been made of the powers given by Parliament to certain officials in the course of their duties to visit premises including, in some cases, private houses exclusively used as such. The powers of the Inland Revenue Department's valuers have been exercised without serious complaint since the last century. Auditors representing the Inland Revenue are empowered, by the Income Tax (Employments) Regulations deriving from the Income Tax (Employments) Act, 1943, to inspect documents supporting P.A.Y.E. deductions on employers' premises, which are usually business premises; and the War Damage Act of 1943 also provided for powers of inspection in order to settle claims. If the hon. Member knows of any case where these powers have been vexatiously exercised I will look into it. Questions about the use of powers granted under the Lunacy and Mental Deficiency Acts dating from 1890, and other powers of this kind, should be addressed to the Ministers of the Departments concerned.