Ways and Means

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 26 April 1944.

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Photo of Lord  Fermoy Lord Fermoy , King's Lynn

It is with very great satisfaction that I return to this House after eight years to hear such a statesmanlike Budget in which there is no fresh taxation. I well remember in 1924 or 1925 having to return to my constituents with many taxes which were very unpopular. I feel sure that most of my hon. Friends in the House this week-end will be very happy to face their constituents. There are two things in the Budget which I would like to talk about. The first is agriculture, and I am sure we were all very pleased to hear that there were going to be further loans for that great industry. For many years Norfolk was a distressed area, but the war has done remarkable things in bringing about prosperity in Norfolk, and I am sure that my farmer constituents will be glad to hear of these further loans. The whole county has changed. If I may put in a personal note, from Sandringham I can now see the park which some ten years ago had 300 deer and a golf course, but is now a huge farm producing food for the country. As most hon. Members know, farming is a very difficult industry, because we never have the money at the right time; but I am sure that the Norfolk farmers will be very glad to hear that they are going to have money provided to, help carry on their industry.

About the car tax. A farmer has a car and pays this very high 'tax although, perhaps, he uses it only once a week to go to the local market. I have always been a great believer in the Petrol Tax. Last summer I had the opportunity of going to America. There cars of all types and categories, whether of 10 or 40 horsepower, pay the same tax. More revenue is derived from the higher horse-power car through the Petrol Tax, and I feel sure that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his wisdom, will derive higher taxation on the same basis.

When I was in King's Lynn over the week-end I found that most of my constituents expected further taxation and I feel sure, if I may make one or two suggestions, that the Chancellor will not take them amiss. I have always wondered why we have not, as in the case of beer and tobacco, tackled our daily newspapers. Does the Chancellor realise that if he put a penny on the daily papers he would receive something between £10,000,000 and £20,000,000 a year in revenue? That would be a very welcome asset to his Budget, and I am also sure that the average person would not object to the extra charge. I feel, also, that we could increase the poundage charge on postal orders, if only because one of the most annoying things is to have to wait for our halfpenny change. I think that the rounding off of poundage on postal and money orders would do a great service to the country and expedite the issuing of those orders. I also feel that telegram charges are very low. When I was in the States last summer and had occasion to send a telegram to California, I was amazed at the expense. I was told, however, that I was using some 3,000,000 dollars' worth of apparatus in California. We all know that distances in this country are not very great, but I think the Chancellor could introduce zones, so that we would perhaps pay more when sending some telegrams. We are asked to send fewer and that, perhaps, would be a deterrent. I think it would be something which the public would be very glad to pay. I am sure that from all sides of the Committee we congratulate the Chancellor on his very fine Budget. In the Press and, indeed, throughout the country, we have heard nothing but praise for his help. He has followed a gentleman who was very much respected, and I am sure we all extend to him our very good wishes and are prepared to do all we can to help him in this Finance Bill.