§ Sir GRATTAN DOYLEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the hardship caused by the imposition of the Income Tax on all incomes under £500 per year, hardships bearing especially heavy on workpeople, annuitants, and pensioners; what is the total amount derived from the tax on this class; and whether he can hold out any hope of speedily abolishing or greatly reducing the tax on such limited incomes?
§ Mr. SNOWDENThe hon. Member will not expect me in a matter of this kind to anticipate my Budget statement.
§ Sir J. NALLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Income Tax is being charged upon alternative pensions granted to war widows; and whether he will arrange for the pensions to be treated on the same basis as flat-rate pensions for Income Tax purposes?
§ Mr. SNOWDENThe flat-rate pension equally with the alternative pension is required under the existing law to be included in the computation of the widow's income for Income Tax purposes. The additional payments in respect of children, which a widow with a flat-rate pension may receive, are exempted from Income Tax by Section 27 of the Finance Act, 1922, but this Section is necessarily inapplicable to the widow with an alternative pension who receives no such additional payments.
§ Mr. LORIMERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will allow a widower, provided he is a householder, a personal allowance of £225, and thereby put him on a level with a married man whose wife is alive?
§ Mr. SNOWDENThe hon. Member will not expect me in a matter of this kind to anticipate my Budget statement.