There is another Income Tax matter which I might conveniently mention here, as it is of special interest, I think, to industry. I propose that the "appointed day" for the purposes of the Income Tax Act, 1945, and Part IV of the Finance Act, 1944, shall be fixed at 6th April next. This is legislation introduced by my predecessor which provides for allowances for Income Tax purposes in respect of various kinds of capital expenditure by productive industry, including—most important—expenditure upon research, which we wish to encourage. We have not had enough of it and we want to have more. This scheme of allowances was agreed in the latter part of the last Parliament with a view to helping industrial re-equipment. I am sure there will be general agreement that this should be brought into operation without delay, and I have therefore fixed the appointed day for 6th April next.
The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.