§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can inform the House if the Act authorising Local Authorities to compound with the landlords for the payment of the rates in respect of their cottage property is universally adopted; whether he can say what is the average abatement in the rates made by the Local Authorities in favour of the landlords in such cases; and what is the number of electors for Local Authorities who by the operation of the compounding Acts pay no rates directly?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER,) Wolverhampton, E.The provisions of the Poor Rate Assessment and Collection Act, 1869, with respect to the payment of rates by the owners instead of the occupiers in the case of small tenements have been largely, but not universally, adopted. The maximum abatement which can be allowed to the owners in these cases is prescribed by the Act, but I am unable to say what is the average abatement allowed. Neither can I state the number of electors for Local Authorities whose rates are paid directly by the owners.
§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTONWill the right hon. Gentleman give us an approximate idea of the number of electors who do not pay the rates directly?
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERI will see if it can be obtained, but that is a very troublesome and, I fear, almost impossible Return.