§ Mr. Nallyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number of football pool firms through whom the present pools tax is being collected; and the estimated revenue derived from such tax for each week since the commencement of the present football season.
§ Mr. JayNo reliable figures are yet available for the present, football season. My hon. Friend may wish to raise the question again, say, in a month's time.
§ Mr. Nallyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is taken by officers of his Department to check the returns of total revenue made by football pool firms for the purposes of taxation with the amounts advertised by such firms through circulars and other means as having been paid out in winnings; and to what extent such check was normally made during the 1947–48 football season.
§ Mr. JayUnder the existing law football pool betting duty is charged at the rate of 20 per cent. of the total amount staked with the promotors: it does not relate to winnings whether advertised or not. Consequently there is no occasion for a check such as that mentioned by my hon. Friend. There are, of course, adequate checks for the purpose of securing the duty legally chargeable.