§ 34. Mr. F. M. Bennettasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate, based on his existing experience of cinema closings, of the loss to the revenue from Entertainments Duty at current rates which will result on the assumption that, as has been predicted, 1,000 cinemas are closed in the next two years.
§ Mr. H. BrookeI really could not make so hypothetical an estimate.
§ 35. Mr. F. M. Bennettasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give figures showing the amount of cinema Entertainments Duty over a recent convenient period collected in respect of the cheaper prices of admission up to 2s.; and what percentage of the total this represents.
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§ Mr. H. BrookePrecise figures of the amount of duty paid on the various admission prices are not available, but it is estimated that in the three months August to October, 1956, about £2¾ million was collected from cinema seats of 2s. and under, and that this was about 28 per cent. of the Entertainments Duty collected from cinemas in the same period.