SIR WALTER FOSTER (Derbyshire, Ilkeston)I beg to ask the hon. Member for the Tunbridge Division of Kent, as representing the Charity Commissioners, if the commissioners will state in their future annual reports, in addition to the sum realised during the year by the sale of real property belonging to charities, the number of acres of land sold and the amount realised by the sale of house property, building land, and agricultural land separately.
§ * THE PARLIAMENTARY CHARITY COMMISSIONER (Mr. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN,) Kent, TunbridgeThe commis- 591 sioners cannot see their way to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member, as they have no means of ascertaining in the case of particular sales how much of the land sold could properly be described as "building land" and how much as "agricultural land," nor does the classification suggested by the hon. Member exhaust all the classes of property sold. They are further of opinion that no public purpose would be served by such a statement the utility of which would be commensurate with the time and labour involved.
SIR WALTER FOSTERDo I understand that the Charity Commissioners refuse to give information to the public as to these very large amounts of real property that are annually sold?
§ * MR. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThe sales are reported every year in the annual report of the commissioners, but the commissioners cannot adopt the detailed classification of the hon. Member, as it is quite unsuitable, and would moreover involve much time and labour.
SIR WALTER FOSTERIf the commissioners refuse to adopt my classification, will they adopt some other classification?
§ MR. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThe commissioners will be glad to consider any suggestion made by the hon. Member.