HC Deb 20 June 1906 vol 159 cc182-4
MR. GINNELL

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that the accounts of some public salesmen in Ireland show the value of the tenant's occupation interest, including improvements, in an agricultural holding to frequently equal and occasionally exceed the value of the landlord's interest in the holding; and will lie ascertain what has been the average price of this tenant's property in normal cases in each county during the last ten years, in order to find a standard for the guidance of the Estates Commissioners and their inspectors.

MR. BRYCE

I am informed by the Estate Commissioners that they have no information as to the matters of fact alleged in the first part of the Question, and have no means of obtaining the particulars asked for in the concluding inquiry.

MR. GINNELL

Will the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to obtain the information?

MR. BRYCE

I am afraid I have no means of doing so. I have no powers over the Estates Commissioners to compel them to give it even if they have it.

MR. GINNELL

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland do all or any of the inspectors on behalf of the Estates Commissioners set forth in their reports in respect of each holding the value of the tenant's occupation, interest and improvement; is this value deducted from the gross value of the holding to find the value of the landlord's interest which is the only object of the sale; is the price calculated upon that interest exclusively; if not, how is the promise kept that the form of report would be adequate for this purpose; and how are the Treasury and the tenant protected from paying for that which is already the tenant's own property.

MR. BRYCE

I beg to refer the hon. and learned Member to the instructions to inspectors which have been laid on the Table of the House. These instructions, and the form of report attached to them, set forth the matters on which the inspectors are required to report. These include the tenant's improvements as admitted, the value thereof, and the estimated gross and net fair rent. I am informed that no report is required as to the value of the tenant's occupation interest, and no deduction from the gross rent is made in respect of such interest. For further elucidation of the matter, so far as it is one of fact and not of argu- ment, I may refer the hon. Member to the Answers given to his Questions of May 14th and 23rd. †

MR. GINNELL

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question; whether the tenant pays for his occupation interest in the price of the land.

MR. BRYCE

If the hon. Member will refer to the Answer to his previous Question, he will find my reply to this point. I can add nothing more.