asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what percentage it would be necessary to raise indirect taxation in order to obtain the same revenue as at present levied by direct and indirect taxation;(2) what is the latest estimate of the total revenue from direct taxation and indirect taxation, respectively, in the current year.

The latest estimates for the yield of central Government taxes in the current financial year are as follows:

£ million
Direct taxation	14,111
Indirect taxation	8,205
Total	22,316

To obtain the same total revenue as at present from indirect taxation alone would, therefore, necessitate an increase in receipts from indirect taxation of 172 per cent.