§ 78. Sir W. Smithersasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the net tax collected by the Central Land Board for 1951; how much was set off against claims; and why the net yield is so much out of proportion to the cost of collection.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the development charge which is payable under the provisions of Part VII of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, and of Part VI of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act, 1947.
The total amount received by the Central Land Board in the year ended 31st December, 1951, was £3,583,000. In the same year the sum of £1,381,000 was set off against claims on the £300 million.
The cost of collecting development charge cannot be ascertained separately from the cost of performing the other functions of the Board, a large part of whose staff are at present engaged in dealing with the claims on the £300 million, of which nearly 950,000 have been registered.