HC Deb 15 March 1955 vol 538 cc110-1W
Mr. Shepherd

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated cost of abolishing entertainment tax on all cinema seats up to and including 1s., and imposing a 50 per cent. tax on all seat prices in excess of the first 1s.

Mr. R. A. Butler

The cost is conjectural, depending on the extent to which admission prices were reduced to take advantage of the reduced rates of duty, but it would probably be in the region of £15 million a year.

Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenport

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what amount of Entertainments Duty was remitted in 1953–54 under the exemption relating to organisations not conducted for profit and whose aims are partly educational; and how many organisations were concerned.

Mr. H. Brooke

The information requested is as follows:

Type of entertainment Number of organisations Duty remitted
£
Drama 1,700 250,000
Music 2,400 130,000
Opera and Ballet 300 170,000
Films 500 40,000
Miscellaneous* 1,400 60,000
6,300 650,000
* This item includes local authority entertainments.