§ Mr. RENWICKasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of the salaries and wages of the commissioners, surveyors, clerks, and other persons engaged in the assessment and collection of Income Tax for the financial years 1905–6 and 1908–9 respectively; and what is the estimated expenditure for similar services for the year 1909–10?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEsubmitted the following statement:—
COST OF COLLECTION—TAXES. Head of Expenditure. 1905–1906. 1908–1909. Estimate, 1909–10. £ £ £ Salaries, Special Commissioners … 2,273 4,191 4,200 Salaries, Chief Inspector's Office … 12,072 17,812 20,150 Salaries, Outdoor Staff … 181,073 217,758 254,550 Allowances to Consuls … 259 209 300 Allowances to Clerks to Commissioners … 97,842 98,716 99,000 Allowances to Collectors and Assessors … 285,697 294,762 307,000 Allowances for Small Stores … 460 501 600 Gratuities for collecting Arrears in Scotland … 351 351 350 Copies of Poor Rates, etc. … 1,610 1,642 24,000 Non-effective charges … 41,954 40,078 40,000 Total … £623,591 £676,020 £750,150 The foregoing statement, which, so far as the year 1905–6 is concerned, is a replica of a Return supplied for the purpose of reply to a similar Parliamentary question on 10th March last, shows the total amount of the voted charges which can be definitely assigned to the assessment and collection of the entire taxes revenue of the years specified, there being no means of separating Income Tax charges from those relative to the associated duties of Land Tax and Inhabited House Duty. The figures given do not include any apportionment of the salaries of the Board, the solicitor and other members of the chief office staff, and of the collectors of Customs and Excise, and their subordinate officials directly or indirectly engaged in the collection of taxes, nor of the remuneration
1310Wpaid to the local collectors of taxes in Scotland, which is included in their salaries as distributers of stamps. They are also exclusive of the numerous miscellaneous charges incurred, such as travelling expenses, postage, etc., and of the charges borne on the votes of other public Departments, e.g., the Post Office, in respect of the issue of free money orders, the Stationery Office for the supply of forms, paper, printing, etc., and the Office of Works for office rentals, etc.