§ VISCOUNT MONSELLasked Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost to the taxpayers in the last financial 428WA year of conceding allowances under the system known as expenses; and whether this sum is increasing or decreasing.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKI presume that the noble Viscount is referring to deductions allowed for expenses in computing income tax. No figures are available of the amounts deducted for expenses in computing trading profits or professional earnings assessable under Schedule D. The estimated cost to the Revenue of the deductions for expenses allowed to wage and salary earners (including directors) charged under Schedule E is £15 million, the greater part of which relates to deductions for clothing and tools used by manual workers. No separate figure for directors' expenses is available. The total of such deductions is increasing but the increase has been offset by reductions in the rate of tax and increases in personal allowances, so that the cost in recent years has shown little change.
House adjourned at thirteen minutes before seven o'clock.