HC Deb 21 May 1895 vol 33 cc1706-7
MR. T. SNAPE (Lancashire, S.E., Heywood)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the demand-notes issued for rates in the parish of Liverpool include the item, Voluntary Rate for Church and other purposes; whether the Local Government Board has in any other cases objected to such inclusion, and required an abandonment of the practice; and whether that course will be pursued in the case of Liverpool?

MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the demand-note issued for the township of Manchester contains, in addition to the Poor Rate and other rates, the item "Church Ley at 1d. in the pound for the year 1895 (optional);" and whether steps will be taken to prevent ratepayers being misled by the inclusion of a voluntary church rate in a demand for rates the payment of which is compulsory?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. G. J. SHAW LEFEVRE,) Bradford, Central

I will answer this question, and that of my hon. Friend, the Member for the Mansfield Division together. I have seen the demand-notes referred to, and I find that they include the items mentioned in the question. In the Liverpool case the amounts required for the compulsory rates are totalled, and it is stated on the note that demand is made for payment of this sum. The amount required for the voluntary rate is then added in red ink, but no demand is made for it. In the Manchester case it is stated on the note that the church ley is an optional payment, but the note does not contain any demand for payment of any of the sums to which it refers Where the form of demand-note for any compulsory rate has been prescribed by the Local Government Board, they have objected to reference to a voluntary rate being added to it. At Liverpool and Manchester the forms have not been prescribed by the Board, but I think that in these cases also it would be better that notice of the sums required for these voluntary rates should not be included in a demand-note for any compulsory rate.