Sir J. D. REESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the assessment to Income Tax under Schedule B of land occupied as cricket grounds causes no little hardship to cricket clubs which make, or in many cases may make, no profit from the land, charge no gate money, and subsist upon the subscriptions of supporters; and whether he will consider the advisability of giving such clubs the same right as the farmer of submitting balance-sheets, so that, if the profits are less than double the rent, the tax may be paid at the lower rate instead of being assessed on an assumed but non-existent income?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe suggestion contained in the latter part of the ques-2104W tion is based upon a misapprehension. The Income Tax Schedule B assessments in respect of lands occupied as cricket grounds would in the normal case be based not upon the double annual value but upon the single annual value only under the proviso to Section 21 of the Finance Act, 1918. An Amendment in the sense of the proposal now made was moved in the course of the Finance Bill of last year, but it was not found possible to accept it. If my hon. Friend will refer to the Parliamentary Debates, Vol. 106, col. 2420, he will find the reasons fully set out by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House.