44
969
Newspaper Workers: HOUSE OF LORDS
[12 FEBRUARY 1979]
Monday, 12th February, 1979.
The House met at half-past two of the clock: The LORD CHANCELLOR/on the Woolsack:
Tax on Casual Earnings
970
the information that they need in order to follow up the matter. The key is the/ accuracy of the information; and that what the new procedures take care of.
Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTON: My Lords, can the noble Lord tell us in what capacity one taxes a non-existent
Prayers Read by the Lord Bishop taxpayer?
of London.
NEWSPAPER WORKERS: TAX ON CASUAL EARNINGS
Lord 'GRIDLEY: My "Lord, I beg leave' to 'ask the 'Question'which stands in my name on the Order Papet?
The Question was as follows:
64
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent tax evasion by those who receive payment made notionally to em- ployees" in the newspaper industry who are retired or deceased or have never existed,
existed/
Lord JACQUES: My Lords, in the summer of last year, the Inland Revenue began an intensive investigation into the tax arrangements for casual workers in Fleet Street. It is hoped within the next month to introduce new procedures which should eliminate the tax irregularities.
Lord JACQUES: My Lords, I have not mentioned non-existent taxpayers'.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE: My Lords, can we take it from the noble Lord's reply that the Government admit that there is something/going wrong here which they must investgate urgently?
Lord JACQUES Yes, my Lords. There was perhaps an awareness that things were not quite right but there was nothing that could be said to amount to, say, a conspiracy.
Lord WYNNE-JONES: My Lords, will my noble friend confirm that main- taining by any devious method that others who were at one time on the establishment are kept there has always been a method used in any community to ensure that inadeguate rations are brought up to the right level?
Lord JACQUES: My Lords, my ex- perience has been that while methods are used, they are not devious methods. II would resist the use of devious methods
if I were an employer.
Lord GRIDLEY: My Lords, while thank the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask whether it goes deep enough; and may I ask two further specific questions? Has it not been firmly established in Fleet Street that payments to casual labour were the responsibility of the unions or of the chapels who lodged such claims? Secondly, is it not true that in a number of cases claims were lodged and payments made up in respect of a number of claimants who were non- existent? In the circumstances, have investigations been carried out in order to be certain whether offences under the law have been committed, or' would seem likely to have been committed, in these instances?
Lord JACQUES? My Lords, it is not always practical to deduct PAYÉ from casual earnings but there is a statutory duty to provide the Inland Revenue with
H.L. 12 A2
HONG KONG: ARREST OF PETITIONERS
2.38 p.m.
Lord BROCKWAY: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make an inquiry into the arrest in Hong Kong of 76 persons, including 48 women and 10 children, while they were proceeding in two coaches to petition the Governor ́re- garding the need for houses for boat dwellers at Yaumati.
1860/2
7:28 FEB 1979
IMA
No
26:3
ken