COLONEL NORTHsaid, he rose to ask the Under Secretary to the Treasury, If the Local Rates of the Houses occupied by the Ministry in Downing Street are paid by the Ministers or the Country?
MR. PEELreplied, that no houses in Downing Street were occupied as residences but only as Government offices, consequently they were not rateable, and no rates were paid in respect to them. A payment, however, was made to the parish in consideration of their not being rateable.
COLONEL NORTHsaid, he thought that they had all heard of large parties being given there. He hoped his right hon. Friend would give him a distinct answer as to whether the houses in Downing Street, of which there was a beneficial occupation, paid local rates.
MR. PEELsaid, he did not think there was a beneficial occupation of any of the houses in Downing Street.
COLONEL NORTHsaid, that a great many hon. Members must recollect having been at a party given in one of those houses when the late Sir George Cornewall Lewis was Secretary of State. He therefore asked whether that House paid local rates?
MR. PEELsaid, he did not think that an official party given in a house could make the occupation of that house a beneficial occupation.