MR. R. G. WEBSTERI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the total rateable value of London is more than one fifth of the total rateable value of the country, and that London received in 1890–91only one-ninth of the additional sum contributed to the relief of local rates by the readjustment of the basis of Exchequer contributions towards the expenses incurred by the local authorities; and, if this distribution still continues in the same proportion, whether the Government will take steps to remedy this state of things?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREIt is the fact that the rateable value of London is slightly more than one-fifth of the rateable value of England and Wales; but it is not the fact that, in 1890–91, London received only one-ninth of the difference between the grants which were not discontinued in consequence of the passing of the Local Government Act, 1888, and the sums which were paid to local authorities out of the Local Taxation Account for 1890–91. These sums were £3,148,231 in excess of the discontinued grants, and the amount received by London in excess of the discontinued grants, was £498,748. London received, therefore, between one-sixth and one-seventh of the additional relief afforded to local taxation by the financial arrangements in question. I have no power to alter those arrangements. I may add that the population of London in 1891 was very little more than one-seventh of the population of England and Wales.