§ Mr. Chetwyndasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now make a further statement regarding the setting up of a committee of inquiry to examine questions arising from the present system of Purchase Tax in relation to classes of goods for which utility schemes exist.
§ Mr. GaitskellYes. I am now in a position to announce the immediate setting up of the committee, under the chairmanship of Sir William Douglas, G.C.B., K.B.E. Members of the committee will be:
Mr. D. Barber, C.B.E., Secretary of the Retail Distributors Association.
Mr. E. W. Goodale, C.B.E., M.C., of the Federation of British Industries.
Mr. W. T. Caves, O.B.E., Secretary of the Wholesale Textile Association.
Mr. W. C. Heywood, C.B.E., of the International Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers.
Mr. C. D. Worswick.
Mrs. Margaret Allen.
The terms of reference of the committee will be:
To review the present system of Purchase Tax affecting those classes of goods within which utility schemes operate (i.e., cloth, garments, footwear, household and furnishing textiles, furniture and bedding) in relation to international agreements bearing on the internal taxation of imported goods, and to the interests of the export trade, consumers and manufacturers; to consider possible adjustments of that system, with a view to removing or reducing any difficulties to which 163W it gives rise; and to submit recommendations on these matters, having due regard to the need to maintain the advantage of the utility schemes to consumers, the expansion of the export trade, and the yield of Purchase Tax revenue which would accrue, under the existing arrangements, from the classes of goods in question.I hope that the committee will now be able to start work at once.