HC Deb 18 July 1940 vol 363 c420W
Mr. H. Beaumont

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has now examined the scheme of loans free of interest from which payment of forthcoming taxation could be deducted if so desired or necessary, as submitted by a manufacturer from Birstall; whether he is prepared to recommend that such a scheme should be adopted by business houses, thereby making immediately available to the Government large sums of money; also will he give wide publicity to it in the hope that it will be generally adopted by industrial and commercial firms throughout the country?

Sir K. Wood

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for forwarding this suggestion to me. I would again call attention to my recent statement that the best way in which help could be given by those who were willing to lend money free of interest for the period until their taxes fell due was to make advance payments in respect of their future tax liability to the Board of Inland Revenue at Somerset House. I will consider what further steps can be taken to give these arrangements wide publicity.