Mr. Munroasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Rugby Football Union, the Scottish Rugby Union and the Welsh Rugby Union will receive, respectively, grants to offset the Selective Employment Tax in relation to their administration staff and ground staff for the season 1966–67.
§ Mr. CroslandI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given on 28th July to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mr. Goodhart). Where sports bodies receive grants towards their administration costs, I and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, will be prepared to treat the cost of the tax as a cost increase to the extent that effect of the tax cannot be offset by staff economies.
The Rugby Football Union and Scottish Rugby Union do not receive grant towards their administration costs, but the Welsh Rugby Union has recently applied for and been offered a grant towards the costs of a national coaching scheme. This offer has not yet been taken up.