asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will propose to permit barristers and other professional people to retain a tax-free cessation payment comparable to the tax-free golden handshakes they might expect to receive had they retired at like age from industry or the Armed Forces.

Section 20(3) of the Finance Act, 1971, provided for non-taxable retirement lump sums to be available to self-employed persons, including professional people.