§ MR. DUNLOPsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether with reference to the deeds allowed by the Land Titles (Scotland) Act of last year to be indorsed in a short form on other deeds, arrangements are being made which would relieve parties from the inconvenience and risk of sending their titles to London for the purpose of having the stamp applicable to the indorsed deed impressed thereon, either by providing in Scotland the means of there impressing such stamp, or by permitting the use of adhesive stamps, or otherwise; and when such arrangements will come into operation?
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEsaid, the question of the hon. and learned Member was the first notice that had been given of any inconvenience having arisen, and, therefore, no arrangements were being made respecting it. He had been in communication with the Board of Inland Revenue on the latter part of the subject, 248 and he found that it was considered dangerous to use adhesive stamps for deeds; that they were less secure, and that they could not be applied to deeds which were written on vellum. With regard to impressing stamps in Scotland, that would entail considerable expense for a variety of dies and an establishment to impress them; and if that were done for Edinburgh it would be necessary to do it for other towns where there might be a large quantity of business transacted. It appeared to be impossible, therefore, to grant those facilities without incurring an expense which would hardly be justified. The risk of sending deeds up to London was not probably very great; but if it were found to be serious the matter, he dared say, would be again brought under the notice of Government.