§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in the Return No. 150, of 1899, which was ordered by the House in February last and distributed in May, of the gross and net rentals of property at Salisbury Plain purchased by the War Department, the column headed "present rental" gives in all cases the actual rental paid to the proprietor of the land at the time of purchase, or whether in any cases the amount of rental in that column represents a nominal rental which in practice was reduced by an allowance of, in some cases, as much as 20 per cent. reduction on the nominal rent.
§ *THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. POWELL WILLIAMS, Birmingham, S.)The Return contains the rentals paid under the various agreements, but what reduction has been customary from those rentals I am not able to say without further reference. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put the question down again.
§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEYI will do so.
§ MR. GIBSON BOWLES (King's Lynn)Have any tenants failed to pay the reduced rent to the War Office?
§ *MR. POWELL WILLIAMSSome of them claim to receive from the War Office a reduction similar to that which they formerly received.
§ MR. GIBSON BOWLESWas that taken into account in the price?
§ *MR. POWELL WILLIAMSNo, I think not.