§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury valuer is charged with the valuation for rating purposes of land and buildings maintained at the expense of the Government of India as well as of those paid for out of British Revenues; and, if not, what is the system upon which India Office property is valued for rates; and whether the official valuer, if any, for the India Office can exercise the same check upon the valuation for rating purposes in the case of Indian property as is exercised by the Treasury valuer in the case of the property of all British Departments?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTThe Treasury valuer is not directly charged with the valuation for rating purposes of land and buildings maintained at the expense of the Government of India, but he assists in the valuation of such property when called upon. Property occupied by the Indian Government is exempt from rate-ability equally with that occupied by the Home Government, and the exemption rests on the same grounds. The India Office stands in regard to the giving of contributions for its property in precisely the same position as the Treasury stands in regard to giving contributions for property occupied by the Home Government