§ MR. ALBAN GIBBS (City of London)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether his attention has been called to the introduction of a Bill by the Lord Chancellor, in the other 1164 House of Parliament, by which it is proposed to levy in future upon inhabited houses in and throughout Great Britain a duty which shall be called the House Tax; whether it is the intention of the Government to proceed with the Bill in that House; and, whether any, and, if any, what opportunity will be afforded to Members of this House to move Amendments to the Bill?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThis Bill makes no change in the existing law, and proposes no new taxation. It is a Measure of pure consolidation, and will be referred to the Joint Committee on Statute Law Revision. Of course, such a Bill cannot become law if Amendments are to be pressed.