Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Air Force. – in the House of Commons am ar 15 Gorffennaf 1925.
Sir Frank Nelson
, Stroud
asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider prolonging the present Session to allow of legislation being introduced enabling the import duties on foreign motor cars to be imposed retrospectively as from 6th May, thereby effecting a saving of approximately £1,000,000 in the Estimates?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
Quite apart from considerations of Parliamentary time, many serious questions are raised by retrospective legislation.
Sir Frank Nelson
, Stroud
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has not been drawn to a statement made in this House on the 6th May by the Chancellor of the exchequer, to the effect that he would not hesitate to come to this House for sanction to impose these duties retrospectively if he found his estimate of national revenue was being prejudiced by over-importation?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
Yes, I had that statement in mind in the latter part of the answer I have just given to the House.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
