§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the annual percentage of Income Tax payments under Schedule B reclaimed by the taxpayer on the grounds that a loss had been made, and what it was for the year 1922–23; will he state the percentage of demands for payment made under Schedule B disallowed in 1922–23 on the ground of loss; the number of farmers who paid Income Tax under Schedule D during the year 1922–23; and what the total payment was?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI regret I am unable to answer the first part of the question in the form in which it is put, as the amount of tax due from any individual depends not upon any particular source of income but upon the total income from all sources, as modified by any title to special reliefs. The following information is, however, available. In the year 1922–23 the approximate amount of income assessed under Schedule B in Great Britain was £34,640,000. The estimated amount of income in respect of which tax was repaid, on account of(a) loss, or (b) the actual income falling short of the amount assessed, is £850,000, or about 2 per cent. of the income assessed; and the approximate amount in respect of which tax was discharged on similar grounds is £1,360,000, or nearly 4 per cent. Statistics are not now collected as to the number of farmers who elect to be assessed under Schedule D. or as to the amount of tax paid by them.