HC Deb 08 November 1888 vol 330 cc647-8
COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, What is the estimated total of the sums which will be handed over to the Local Authorities in England in connection with the now Local Government Act, either directly from the Exchequer or in the form of a diversion of the product of certain taxes, and when will the first payments be made to the Local Authorities; and, what is the total of the sum which will be handed over to the Local Authorities in Ireland, and when will the first payment be made.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)

The hon. Member does not state whether his Question refers to the provisional arrangement for the present year only, or to future years also. For the present year there will he handed over to Local Authorities in England 80 per cent. of one-third of the proceeds of the Probate Duty, amounting, if the Budget Estimate of that duty he realized, to £1,136,000. Payments into the local taxation account of the share of the Probate Duty just mentioned have commenced within the last few weeks. Up to the end of last week £150,000 has been paid out of the Exchequer to that account. The sum to be handed over in aid of local taxation in Ireland is 9 per cent of one-third of the Probate Duty. On the basis of the original Estimate it would amount for the present year to £127,800. A Bill will shortly be introduced to empower the Government to pay over this sum to Ireland, and the corresponding sum to Scotland, as it has been already empowered to do in the case of England by the Local Government Bill. In future years the amount to be paid to Local Authorities, whether in England, Ireland, or Scotland, will be increased by 50 per cent, as one-half, instead of one-third, of the Probate Duty will then be available for the relief of local taxation. In England and Wales a further stun of between £2,900,000 and £3,000,000, representing the produce of certain licences specified in the Local Government Bill, will be handed over to the Local Authorities. But, on the other hand, Grants in Aid, which in the year 1887–8 amounted to £2,870,000, will be withdrawn.

MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)

asked, when the Bill would be introduced?

MR. GOSCHEN

said, he hoped it would be introduced in a very few days.