Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance. – in the House of Commons at on 7 February 1929.
Lieut-Colonel Charles Howard-Bury
, Chelmsford
asked the Chancellor of the exchequer whether, seeing that the receipts of wireless licences amounted to £1,250,000, of which £824,000 was paid to the British Broadcasting Corporation and £254,000 to the Exchequer, he can see his way to reduce the wireless licence from 10s. to 7s. 6d.?
Sir William Mitchell-Thomson
, Croydon South
I have been asked to answer this question. No, Sir. I share the view expressed by the Crawford Committee that a fee of 10s., which is equivalent to 1d. for three days' programmes, is not unreasonable, and I do not propose to recommend a reduction.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
