§ Mr. LINFIELDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of revenue derived from cinema theatres which are known as bonded houses, and to which tickets and stamps are not issued, for the first six months of the current financial year and for the corresponding period of the previous year; whether a record is kept, of the tickets and stamps sold to each class and place of entertainment; and, if so, whether he can state, approximately, the total amount of the Entertainment Tax collected from cinema theatres for the first six months of the current financial year and for the corresponding period of the previous year?
§ Mr. BALDWINThere is no information as to the nature of the entertainments for which Entertainments Duty tickets and stamps are purchased, and it is impossible therefore to state the amount of revenue derived from any particular class of entertainment. In these circumstances no useful purpose would be served by obtaining details of the duty paid on the basis of returns by those cinemas who do not use stamps or tickets.
§ Mr. P. COLLINSasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can make arrangements whereby Entertainments Duty tickets may be obtainable at any general post office, so that those who require such tickets may not be compelled to travel long distances to obtain them?
§ Mr. BALDWINI am afraid that it is not practicable to arrange for the sale of Entertainments Duty tickets at any2606W general post office, but I would point out that such tickets can be purchased at some 70 Customs and Excise offices throughout Great Britain and can also be obtained by post from the Customs and Excise offices in London and Edinburgh. I am sending the hon. Member a leaflet which explains the existing arrangements.