§ MR. ARTHUR JEFFREYS (Hants, Basingstoke)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether any alteration has lately been made in regulating the fees or costs which fall upon tithe payers in cases of tithe redemption in England and Wales; how much these fees or costs amount to annually; and whether in future the Government will undertake to pay the costs incurred by tithe payers in carrying out cases of tithe redemption?
§ *THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERNo alteration has lately been made in regulating the fees or costs which fall upon tithe payers in cases of tithe redemption. The fees average £1,250 per annum, and amounted to £1,405 in the last complete year. It is not possible 1635 at present to give the precise figures of the costs. I understand that the Royal Commission on Agriculture has received much evidence on the question of Tithe Rent Charge, and I think it would be premature to deal with this point until their final Report has been received and considered.