asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the public announcement that payment of Excess Profits Duty may, in approved cases, be made over a term of years, he will consider the advisability of making the principle retrospective so that some firms who would have come under this arrangement, but have already paid, and thereby seriously embarrassed the proper carrying on of their business, may be allowed to apply for a consideration of their case under the above scheme?

The answer is in the negative.