§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether having regard to the circumstance that the tax on men-servants operates as a penalty on the employment of ex-service men and others in various capacities, he will consider the desirability of abolishing such tax?
Mr. SNOWDENThe Male Servant Licence Duty is not an Imperial but a local taxation duty, and I am afraid that I could not undertake to introduce legislation which would deprive local authorities of part of their revenue unless I were sure of their unanimous consent, and that a demand would not be made upon the Exchequer to replace the revenue surrendered.