§ Mr. Shurmerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the dislocation to business caused in industries whose products are subject to Purchase Tax by current speculation regarding the possible supersession of Purchase Tax by a sales tax, if he will make an early announcement with a view to removing this obstacle to a seasonal improvement in the affected trades.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftI have no statement to make on Purchase Tax, except to say that any such change, if it were practicable at all, would be a major operation and could not be undertaken in a hurry.