46. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects to receive a report of the Richardson inquiry sufficiently in advance of the Budget date to enable him to decide whether to adopt a turnover tax; and whether, pending a decision on this report, he will simplify and reduce the average rates of Purchase Tax with the ultimate object of a Purchase Tax over a wide field at a single low rate.
Mr. M. MacmillanThe Report of the Richardson Committee was presented to my right hon. Friend on 21st February. It will be presented to Parliament as a Command Paper, and will be available well in advance of Budget Day. I can make no comment now on either the Report or the Budget.