MR. MACDONALD CAMERONConsidering that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has a large surplus, will the Government be willing to grant better postal facilities for Wick and the North of Scotland?
§ *MR. RAIKESI must ask the hon. Gentleman to give notice of that question.
In reply to Mr. HOWARD VINCENT,
§ *MR. GOSCHENsaid: The allocation of the Scotch portion of the grant has not yet been finally determined. The Scotch Office is considering the matter.
§ *MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)Are we to understand that the mode of distribution in Scotland is not prejudged by the fact that in England a portion is to go in buying up licences? Will the distribution in Scotland be dealt with by a Bill, so that the Scotch Members may be heard upon the question?
§ *MR. GOSCHENNo, Sir; we propose that Scotland, England, and Ireland shall be dealt with in the same measure, which will facilitate the proceedings; but the same principles may not be acted upon in regard to the three countries. There may be such variations as circumstances may suggest. The hon. Member need not think that the question has been settled yet, as far as the distribution in Scotland is concerned.
MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN&c.) (Stirling,May I ask whether, as the right hon. Gentleman states that the application of the money in Scotland has not yet been determined, he moans that the Scotch Members will have an opportunity of expressing their views on the subject before the question is settled?
§ *MR. GOSCHENThe Scotch Members must take their chance in the same way as other Members of the House. The Government have paid special attention to the case of Scotland in the matter, and the allocation must be proposed on our own responsibility.
In reply to Sir W. LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth),
§ *MR. GOSCHENsaid: I must answer the question of the hon. Baronet with caution. He asks me whether it is intended that public money should be paid for the supposed value of licences, the renewal of which is in the discretion of the magistrates. As Chancellor of the Exchequer, I am in the habit of taking considerable notice of the houses in question as regards Probate Duty and Income Tax, Schedule A. A particular value is considered to attach to public-houses, and I must, therefore, demur to the expression "supposed value." A portion of the money which I described last night is intended for the purchase of houses which are considered to be of a known value, not a supposed value.
§ SIR W. LAWSONIs it intended by the Government scheme that licences granted annually shall be treated as a freehold?
§ *MR. GOSCHENNo: I should demur to any such inference. The value would depend on what business was done. It will be dealt with as a matter of commercial regulations. It is voluntary on the part of the County Councils to purchase the licences; but it is well-known 814 that these houses have a certain value which for years has been subject to taxation.