HC Deb 28 October 1920 vol 133 cc1956-7W
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESS

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the net assessments to property and Income Tax in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, for the years ended 5th April, 1919 and 1920, comparable with Table VI printed on page 58 of the final Report of the Financial Relations Commission, 1894–6?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The total net assessments charged to Income Tax for the year 1918–19 on the same basis as those appearing in the table mentioned are as follows:

£ Per cent.
Great Britain 1,496,097,000 97.39
Ireland. 40,163,000 2.61

A more reliable approximation of the true income of taxpayers liable to the tax is arrived at by taking the figures representing the original assessments as ultimately corrected by the elimination of all overcharges, errors, exemptions, etc., but before granting the personal allowances and abatements. On this basis the information for the year 1918–19 is as follows:

£ Per cent.
Great Britain 2,018,836,000 97.45
Ireland 52,736,000 2.55

Similar information for 1919–20 is not yet available. My hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that the radical changes which have been made in the Income Tax structure in recent years render impossible any effective comparison between these figures and those for the year 1893–4.

Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESS

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the net assessments of death duties in Great Britain and Ireland respectively for the years ended 5th April, 1919 and 1920?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

Owing to the Suspension during the War of the compilation of estate duty statistics, the full information desired is not available.

For the nine months 1st July, 1919, to 31st March, 1920, the total net capital value on which estate duty was paid was:

£
Great Britain 288,772,599
Ireland 18,730,985

Full figures are available for that property which consists of Free Personalty situated in the United Kingdom. The net capital values are:

1918–19 1919–20
£ £
Great Britain 208,470,118 257,236,076
Ireland 12,656,928 16,410,740