Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 2 December 1947.
Mr. E. P. Smith:
asked the Chancellor of the exchequer why the Paper C.22035, giving the budgetary increases in Purchase Tax, was circulated and delivered to business offices before the speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Budget day.
Sir Stafford Cripps
, Bristol East
The leaflet referred to was not even printed until after the Budget Speech. But, as is usual on these occasions, a notice was issued giving the precise information which traders concerned need to have at the earliest possible moment to enable them, where necessary, to adjust their selling prices. Great care is taken in timing the distribution of these notices to ensure that they are delivered on, but not before, the morning after the Budget Statement. I have no reason to think that the safeguards against leakage are inadequate.
Mr. Smith:
Is the Chancellor aware that the allegation that information was given to the trade on the morning of Budget day was made a week ago in open debate in this House, and that although there was a representative of the Treasury on the front bench he did not deny it?
Sir Stafford Cripps
, Bristol East
A good many remarks are made in open debate which are not immediately denied by the Minister, but which are none-the-less inaccurate.
Lieut-Commander Joseph Braithwaite
, Holderness
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I supplied his predecessor with information to the effect that this information was, in fact, released early last April?
Sir Stafford Cripps
, Bristol East
I presume the hon. Gentleman got the same sort of answer.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
Will the right hon. Gentleman differentiate between the leaflet that was, in fact, sent out, and the leaflet referred to in the Question? Is he aware that 120,000 copies were sent out? A business friend of mine tells me they were marked, on the morning of the Budget, "Not to be opened till five o'clock." By what right and authority did he print these leaflets before the increases were passed by this House?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
In the guise of a question the hon. Gentleman must not repeat the speech he made the other night.
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.
The Chancellor - also known as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" is responsible as a Minister for the treasury, and for the country's economy. For Example, the Chancellor set taxes and tax rates. The Chancellor is the only MP allowed to drink Alcohol in the House of Commons; s/he is permitted an alcoholic drink while delivering the budget.
The first bench on either side of the House of Commons, reserved for ministers and leaders of the principal political parties.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
