§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Energy why, how and on what basis full details of the tax-free expenses of members appointed to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations by his Department could not be obtained without involving disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. BennTotal expenses reimbursed to individual members necessarily vary and to extract the necessary information and the calculation of their value should they be subject to income tax would involve considerable and undue staff effort.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is aware that the tax-free daily expenses allowance paid to members of committees, and quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations appointed by him are worth hundreds of pounds per day on a taxed basis to the recipients and that such daily 301W sums are more than most of the lower paid public employees, including nurses, receive for a week's work and overtime; and if he will take action to stop these being regarded as tax-free.
§ Mr. BennThe reimbursement of travelling and subsistence expenses necessarily incurred on public business cannot easily be compared with pay.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, without incurring disproportionate costs, he will give, for the longest and most convenient period of time, the total number of persons in those quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organisations for which he is responsible who have claimed expenses and subsistence and travel allowances, and the totals of all such allowances claimed.