§ SIR FRANCIS POWELL (Wigan)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his attention has been drawn to the numerous complaints that have come from the clergy in all parts of the country as to the exceedingly heavy incidence of rates and taxes upon their incomes; and, whether he can see his way to affording them any relief in the Budget beyond the general reduction of the Land Tax in which they will participate?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.)My attention has been drawn 1315 to these cases; but it should be remembered that, in addition to the relief which the clergy will obtain in cases where the Land Tax is more than 1s. in the pound on the amount of a parish to Schedule A of the Income-Tax, the occupiers of glebes will also be considerably relieved under the provisions of the Agricultural Land Rating Bill. I observe that there is an Amendment on the Paper to give further relief in the matter of Land Tax to incumbents of small livings, and the suggestion is one which appears to be deserving of consideration.