§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Labour whether he will investigate the circumstances attending the stoppage of wages of Mr. O. B. Petrie, of 14, Suffolk Street, Forest Gate, in respect of arrears of Income Tax; whether he is aware that this man is employed as a temporary clerk at the Kew branch of the Ministry of Labour; that £2 12s. 2d. was claimed from him by the Income Tax Commissioners; that the cash section of the Labour Ministry informed him that £1 6s. 7d., half the amount, would be deducted from his current week's wages, which are £2 15s. 11d., and that a further similar sum would be deducted next week; whether he will say if it is the custom of his Department to deduct Income Tax arrears from the wages of the temporary staff in such large proportions; and whether he will inquire into the legality of such action in the special case referred to; and, as the man is in receipt of an amount of money which will not allow him to live decently, will he arrange to cancel the order of deductions?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe facts stated in the fourth part of the question are not correct. The deduction made in the first week was 13s. 2d., and, on representations from Mr. Petrie, the deduction in the two succeeding weeks 2467W has been reduced to 10s. Two further deductions of 10s. per week will be made, making the total of £2 13s. 2d. due. The deductions are in respect of tax under Schedule E for the year 1924–25, and not in respect of arrears. Endeavour is always made to meet the convenience of the staff in the matter of deductions for Income Tax, and smaller deductions would have been possible in this case had their commencement not been deferred so as to enable Mr. Petrie to make a protest against the assessment.