§ 64 and 65. Sir T. Beamishasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and 225W Food (1) what extra sum will be added to farmers' annual costs by the exemption of agricultural machinery dealers from the Selective Employment Tax;
(2) if he will exempt agricultural machinery dealers from the Selective Employment Tax; approximately how much would be the annual yield of such a tax; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the replies he has sent to the representations by the National Farmers' Union, the Agricultural Engineers' Association and the) Agricultural Machinery and Tractor Dealers' Association Limited.
§ Mr. John MackieThe tax payable annually by agricultural machinery dealers is broadly estimated at about £1½ million. I would hope that it would not be necessary for the whole of this to be passed on to farmers.
I have not received representations on this matter from the National Fanners' Union or the Agricultural Engineers' Association. I understand however that these bodies have supported the repretations which the Agricultural Machinery and Tractor Dealers' Association have made to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He has asked my right hon. Friend to consider these representations, and he is today writing to inform the Association that the Government cannot agree to treat them differently from other employers in the distributive trades.