§ * LORD HELMSLEY (Yorkshire, N.R., Thirsk)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, pending fresh legislation on the subject, he will bring in a Bill to amend the Agricultural Rates Act, 1896, so that the amount payable by annual grant to the local taxation account for distribution among each spending authority may be based upon the rates levied in each current year, instead of being based, as at present, on the rates levied in 1896.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSNo, Sir, I could not undertake to bring in a Bill for the purpose suggested.