§ MR. PICKERSGILLI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the inconveniences which will result from compliance with Article XV. of the Agricultural Rates Order, 1896, and in particular whether the form of rate applicable to special sanitary rates might not with great advantage be adopted in lieu of the form given in Schedule Y of the Order; and, whether, in agricultural districts, where nearly every assessment contains agricultural land, the Local Government Board will object to complete valuation lists being-made out instead of supplementary lists?
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLThe Local Government Board have received representations with regard to the first and third points alluded to in the Question of the hon. Member for Bethnal Green. As regards the suggestion that the form of rate applicable to special sanitary rates might be adopted in lieu of the form given in Schedule Y of the Order, I may observe that no form of special sanitary rate is prescribed either by Statute or by the Orders of the Local Government Board. I infer, however, that what is 688 suggested is that instead of showing the amount of the rate payable at a reduced rate in the £ in the case of agricultural land, the course which the Public Health Act allows, as regards the sanitary rate, of showing in the rate the reduced rateable value should be adopted. It is not considered by the Board that the course referred to would be more convenient than that contemplated by Schedule Y; and further, the Agricultural Rates Act only authorises the reduction of the rate in the £ and not of the rate-able value.