§ Sir W. de FRECEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, although the Board of Inland Revenue state that interviews with taxpayers in connection with the claims verification procedure are to be conducted in a room suitable for confidential inquiries, in spite of this, interviews are in progress in the office of His Majesty's inspector of taxes, Blackpool 2nd District, in a room containing nine people, and no privacy whatever is afforded to taxpayers being interviewed; and whether he can take any steps for the convenience of the public in this matter?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI have been asked to answer this question. Although,2430W as indicated in replies to previous questions, the accommodation referred to is not ideal, it is of a purely temporary nature, pending the completion of the extension of the main premises, and, as such, has been accepted as reasonably satisfactory by the Board of Inland Revenue.