§ Mr. THOMAS DAVIESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that rates upon the tithe rent-charge are rapidly increasing all over the country, whilst the increase of income of the tithe-paid clergy has been stopped by a recent Act of Parliament, he can see his way to relieve these clergy of the serious burden of rates upon their tithe income, for which they have to perform certain
928WExchequer what was the taxable income assessed to Income Tax in the years 1915–16, 1916–17, and 1917–18; and how much of this was assessed in each year in respect of incomes from £130–£400 a year, £400–£600, £600–£700, £3,000–£5,000, £5,000–£10,000, and over £10,000, respectively?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe total taxable income (i.e., the net income before the allowance of any personal reliefs such as abatement and children's allowance) dealt with for Income Tax purposes in each of the years mentioned was as follows:
1915–16 1,049,894,038 1916–17 1,373,451,782 1917–18 (estimated) 1,705,000,000 Information as to the distribution of the taxable income between the limits of income below £700 mentioned in the question is not available, but the particular graduation in force for the year 1916–17 and onwards render it possible to give the following figures:
Year Incomes exceeding £130 but not exceeding£500. Incomes exceeding £500 but not exceeding £1,000. £ £ 1916–17 502,560,381 141,534,639 1017–18 (estimated) 757,520,000 153,500,000 In the higher classes named the income assessed to Super-tax was as follows:
statutory services; and whether such relief would equally relieve the Treasury which at present pays half of the said rates upon the clerical tithe, in recognition of the special hardship of having to pay rates upon their professional income, from which the tithe-paid clergy suffer?
§ Dr. ADDISONI cannot hold out any expectation that the Government will propose legislation upon this matter.