§ MR. R. G. WEBSTER (St. Pancras, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he proposes during the present Session to give grants from the Treasury to the local authorities equivalent to the rating value of public buildings in their respective localities, or what steps he proposes to take in this matter?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Treasury contributions will be to all the rates levied in the districts containing Government property calculated on the rateable value of that property as settled with the valuation and assessment authorities of such districts. The valuations of nearly the whole of the Government property in the metropolis have quite recently 65 been revised up to date, and the Treasury grants will be given on the new valuations from 1st April last. The valuations of the Government property in the provinces have also, in many cases, been revised up to date, and the contributions will be given on the revised valuations in those cases from the same date, and the Treasury are ready to give a careful consideration to the representations any assessment authority may make with a view to the revision of the valuations in other cases.