§ MR. J. G. HUBBARDasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the estimate of the First Lord of the Treasury in his Budget Speech of 1853 —
That one-fourth of the gross income derived from lands and houses goes into the pockets of mortgagees, annuitants, and others who receive under settlements,whether, upon inquiry, he can confirm or vary that estimate; and, whether he can separately estimate the proportion of the gross rents of lands and houses engrossed by the encumbrancers?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)My right hon. Friend the present First Minister, it is true, made such an estimate, as will be seen in Hansard's report of his speech; but he prefaced his remark by saying that it was a "conjectural estimate." I am not in a position either to confirm or vary that estimate, as there are no Returns or Records available to me De- 622 partmentally—and I know of none in my private capacity—which would afford any definite information upon the point. I should imagine that my right hon. Friend relied for his estimate upon his wide experience, fortified possibly by those of some leading conveyancers, landowners, and land agents, who would have a much better knowledge of these matters than the officers of the Revenue.