Tuesday, 25 April 1944
[Mr. SPEAKER in the Chair]
Read the Third time, and passed, without Amendment.
Read the Third time, and passed.
asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the numerous complaints of the shortage of razor blades and the inferiority of the steel used, he will publicise the fact that daily...
asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the 30 utility furniture coupons issued to newly married couples are not sufficient adequately to furnish one room; and will he...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make a statement with regard to Patent Law Reform.
asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that Russia is placing large orders in the United States for post-war delivery of various goods; whether any orders have been placed in...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any indication to owners of industrial buildings and plant in North Wales which have been requisitioned by the Government as to their...
asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he has now reached any decision on the question of price control of furniture sold by auction; (2) what alteration he proposes to make in the...
asked the President of the Board of Trade why the concession in relation to prices in the Goods and Services (Price Control) Wool Yarn and Wool Cloth Order (S.R. & O., No. 316, of 1944), is...
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare the amount of chrome ore being exported from Turkey now, together with comparable figures since 1938.
asked the Secretary of State for War what is the result of his review of the rates and conditions of pensions of Boer War pensioners administered by the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that at the meeting of the "Forces Parliament," M.E.F., held on 5th April, an official decision on which the committee of the parliament...
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that under the Administration of Estates Act, 1925, on the death of an intestate bachelor his father and mother are equally entitled to...
asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that compensation for loss of officer's kit due to enemy action is subject to depreciation amounting in some cases to 50 per cent.; and will he...
asked the Secretary of State for War why an order has been issued to R.A.M.C. officers in India stating that, while other ranks will be brought home at the end of five years' service overseas,...
asked the Secretary of State for War, why he has refused the honourable Member for East Willesden permission to see the captured German Tiger tank.
asked the Secretary of State for War why an official allegation has been made that the Official Secrets Act has been contravened in consequence of the receipt by the Civil Service Clerical...
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is yet in a position to state what action has been taken to ensure that all soldiers over the age of 21 will be placed on the Electoral Register:...
Miss Ward: asked the Secretary of State for War on what date his attention was first drawn from the Middle East theatre of war to complaints against "V" cigarettes; and at what date it was...
Miss Ward: asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the practice of the War Service Grants Committee to disregard a proportion of a wife's earnings in the assessment of a grant,...
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the increasing accumulation of work in the London District Legal Aid Bureau owing to shortage of staff; and, as this is affecting a...
asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he will take steps to convey to the military personnel who have carried out the duties of those transport workers who have elected to go on strike at...
asked the Secretary of State for War to make a statement on the war in Burma.
asked the Secretary of State for War what alterations it is proposed to make respecting the infliction of corporal punishment on West African and East African soldiers; and the number of such...
asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he proposes to take with regard to both a limitation and a control of the purchasing power of the Allied Armies in liberated territories of Europe.
asked the Secretary of State for War how many native commissioned officers there are in the Armed Forces of the Crown to-day.
Mr. De ht Bère: asked the Prime Minister if, whilst recognising the exigencies of service with the Forces he will state the broad principle which is applied to the granting of leave to...
asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to separate Austrian prisoners of war from Germans, in view of the decision taken at the Moscow Conference.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is intended to introduce salary increases for teachers in Scotland, in view of the need to attract the increased numbers of teachers required...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on progress made by the Scottish Hydro-Electric Board; and where the first schemes are to be undertaken.
Mr. Davidson: asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to convene, at an early date, a meeting of all Scottish Members of Parliament al St. Andrews Place, Edinburgh, in order...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the suggestions sent to him by the Lochaber Labour Party regarding the reconstruction and extension of the Caledonian Canal to...
asked the Prime Minister whether, during the coming Commonwealth Conference, the visiting Dominion Prime Ministers will be invited, in accord with precedent, to become members of the War Cabinet,...
asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that a repre1.entative group of members of Congress has been set up to advise and help with the formulation of plans for the maintenance of peace; and...
asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the publication of a despatch to the New Zealand Government by General Freyberg, G.O.C. New Zealand Corps, on the operations at...
asked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to ensure that the disabilities under which British married women suffer under the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Acts will be given...
asked the Prime Minister whether he can now make an announcement regarding the chairmanship of the B.B.C.
asked the Lord President of the Council whether, after the war, arrangements can be made to pay greater official attention to claims of potentially useful inventions which may not, for the...
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of Treasury deposit receipts held by the banks had been converted to long term loans by 15th February, 1944, or near date.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the Income Tax was unpaid at the end of the year 31st March.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with regard to Acts of Parliament dealing with public and social services, approximately what percentage of their cost falls on the taxpayer and ratepayer,...
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer approximately what percentage of the national income is employed through the twin agents of taxation and borrowing, respectively.
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the cost to a Member of the House of Commons of the bound volumes of the House of Commons HANSARD for the Session 1943–44.
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the difficulties preventing local authorities from lending any surplus funds to the Treasury free of interest; and whether he is taking any...
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the estimated annual cost of the Porter Awards on overtime and holidays with pay, respectively, in adition to the £5,000,000 per annum announced as the...
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has considered the letter, dated 10th March, addressed to the Controller General by the Mining Association of Great Britain, informing him that the...
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the average output per man-shift at those collieries which have become necessitous undertakings in the Lancashire coalfield and the average figures for the...
Mr. De la Bère: asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the widespread system of charging meter rents by gas and electricity undertakings, he will investigate the system...
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in imposing fuel restrictions on shops and offices, he will take into account the necessity of drying the clothes of the workers involved during wet...
asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that numbers of men who, after qualifying in the R.A.E. to wear wings, have been grounded sod discharged from the R.A.F. without fault on...
I desire to ask you, Mr. Speaker, a question of which I have given you notice, namely, Why, in the re-printed copy of the Education Bill, as amended in Committee, the Clauses after Clause 82 are...
The following Question stood upon the Order Paper in the name of Sir AUSTIN HUDSON: To ask the Minister of Information if he will take steps to see that London newspapers and the B.B.C. do not...
May I ask the Leader of the House whether, in view of the fact that a large number of Members are interested in the Adjournment discussion, he can indicate what time it is intended to conclude...
Considered in Committee.
During the war it has been the practice of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to set his story of revenue and expenditure in the framework of a broad review of the financial policy of the Government...
The total issues for the year were £5,799,000,000, or £43,000,000 more than the Budget estimates. The £375,000,000 provided for the debt charge covered the whole of our interest...
On the Revenue side, the actual receipts from Income Tax at £1,184,000,000 were £9,000,000 more than the estimate; while Excess Profits Tax realised precisely the estimate of...
After allowing for certain capital receipts, the net sum we had to borrow during the year was £2,750,000,000, or £54,000,000 less than in the previous year. The manner in which that...
My last remarks related to the form of our borrowing in the past year. As the Committee knows, it has been a feature of our recent war Budgets to examine how far the sources from which we have...
I should like to say, if the Committee will allow me, a few general words about that Paper, although I hasten to reassure the Committee that I do not intend to try to lead them through all its...
I must now refer briefly to a very important reform carried out during the past year by application of what we call "Pay-as-you-earn"on assessment and collection of tax on wages and salaries. The...
I turn now from the year which has just closed to that which has just opened. I have, in the first place, to propose a number of minor adjustments in Customs and Excise, and I will deal with...
In the field of Inland Revenue the Finance Bill will contain certain proposals for amendment of the law, some of which will necessitate Resolutions. These proposals, can, I think, best be...
I informed the House early this year that I was reviewing the taxation of motor vehicles and the fuel that they consume. At the present time, when it is almost impossible for me to sacrifice...
The Finance Bill will contain the proposal which I have already announced in the House, to abolish from 1st January next the Armorial Bearings Duty and the Carriage Licence Duty. The...
I should like now to sketch the background of our domestic financial policy. I could not do so, however, without first paying my tribute to the soundness, courage and wisdom with which my...
In the third place, we have aimed at maintaining a reasonable stability in the cost of living, partly by means of an intensive and successful rationing system, and partly by subsidising costs....
What has happened to wage rates in the three years that have since passed? In 1941, wage rates were 21 to 22 per cent. above the level of September,;939. In 1943, the increase had reached 35 per...
The increased cost of domestic production is not, however, the whole explanation of the increased subsidies now being required to stabilise the cost of living. Some part of the explanation is to...
These two developments are sufficient reason why the details of the policy must be looked at again. They are certainly not reasons against continuing a policy which has played so fundamental a...
I now turn to the position of our external finances, which will become an increasingly important problem as the war draws to its close. Last year, Sir Kingsley Wood gave a general account of the...
This second world war will complete a revolutionary change in our financial position. Before 1914 the United Kingdom was the world's leading creditor country. Year by year, we received from other...
Now this fact must be taken in conjunction with the other fact I have just emphasised, that we were already living up to our international income when we entered the present war. We cannot...
That brings me to what is, in some respects, the most important part of what I have to say, for it concerns the methods of measuring the profits of industry on which Income Tax in the post-war...
The main class of expenditure in modernisation and re-equipment will be on plant and machinery. Under the existing law, as hon. Members know, the cost of plant and machinery is normally written...
The other main industrial assets of importance in modernisation and re-equipment are industrial buildings. Allowance is made under the existing law in respect of the cost of repairs and...
In the case of agriculture, the farmer commonly does not, while the ordinary industrialist generally does, provide the whole of the capital required for the business; for in the case of the...
While speaking about capital expenditure in the farming industry, I should like to refer to a further measure of assistance which the Government will shortly be proposing to Parliament. My right...
In addition to my proposals for taxation relief for new expenditure on buildings, plant and machinery, it is proposed, in the measurement of profits, to provide allowances in respect of the cost...
The general outline I have just given did not touch upon one subject which, in its more general aspect, was fully debated in the House last week. I refer to scientific research, particularly to...
For taxation purposes research expenditure is divided between that incurred by a central body on behalf of a section of industry and that carried out by a trading concern in its own works. It has...
There is one other matter which I can conveniently mention at this point. When reviewing the steps which I might take to ensure that, consistently with Revenue needs, methods and scope of...
In conclusion, I must turn back to our Budgetary prospects for the present financial year, and I will keep the Committee for only a few minutes longer. In some respects, my task of estimating the...
Towards that total, the various Inland Revenue duties are expected to provide £122,000,000 more than in 1943–44, and to rise, for the first time, to the notable total of...
How far may we expect to finance our expenditure in 1944–45 from the sources of borrowing to which I referred in my review of the past year? Any estimate of overseas disinvestment must be...
On the basis of these revised estimates, I can now give the Committee the three salient features of the outlook for this financial year. First, the prospective deficit, although slightly larger...
Resolved: That, as from the twenty-sixth day of April, nineteen hundred and forty-four, the rates of the duty of excise charged in respect of beer under Section one of the Finance (No. 2) Act,...
Resolved: That as from the twenty-sixth day of April, nineteen hundred and forty-four, the rates of the duty of customs charged in respect of beer under Section one of the Finance (No. 2) Act,...
Resolved: That the extent and incidence of purchase tax be varied so as to give effect, as from such date as may be provided by any Act of the present Session relating to finance, to provisions...
Resolved: That,— (a) income tax for the year 1944–15 shall be charged at the standard rate of ten shillings in the pound, and, in the case of an individual whose total income exceeds...
Resolved: That income tax for the year 1943–44 shall be charged at rates exceeding the standard rate in the case of individuals whose total incomes exceed two thousand pounds, and those...
Resolved: That, for the purposes of the proviso to sub-section (1) of section twenty-four of the Finance Act, 1920, the relief provided for by section twenty-seven of that Act shall be left out...
Resolved: That the author of a literary, musical, dramatic or artistic work who has been engaged on the making thereof for a period of more than twelve months shall be entitled to require that...
Resolved: That the extent and incidence of excess profits tax (for past and future chargeable accounting periods) shall be varied so as to give effect to amendments of Section thirty-five of the...
Resolved: That retrospective provision shall be made as respects income tax and death duties where persons, income or property are or is affected by the law relating to trading with the enemy.
Resolved: That such of the enactments relating to estate duty as provide for charging duty in respect of the assets of a company to which property has been transferred by a person, or at his...
Motion made, and Question proposed, That it is expedient to amend the law relating to the national debt and the public revenue, and to make further provision in connection with...
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Mr. A. S. L. Young.]
Debates in the House of Commons are an opportunity for MPs from all parties to scrutinise government legislation and raise important local, national or topical issues.
And sometimes to shout at each other.
