asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now answer questions related to tax payments by publicly quoted companies.

Information about the tax affairs of taxpayers is confidential.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of granting relief for corporation tax at 1974–75 rates to companies for donations to charitable bodies to an amount not exceeding £5,000 or 2 per cent. of taxable income per company per year, whichever is greater, assuming that 50 per cent. of companies liable to pay corporation tax would take adavantage of this relief.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th February; Vol. 905, c. 307–8], gave the following information:I regret that the information on which to base a reply is not yet available; before the size distribution of companies by net taxable income can be estimated, the effects of stock relief must be deducted from taxable income. Such information on the effects of stock relief, however, is not at the moment sufficiently complete.