§ MR. GINNELL (Westmeath, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the pink schedules, Form 39, on the files in rent-fixing cases commonly show that the landlord has not made any improvement, that improvements have been made, and that the rent has been fixed on the gross value, including the improvements, on the ground that although the court valuer has ascertained and reported the improvements the tenant has not claimed them by schedule in court; and whether His Majesty's Government will enforce the law requiring all improvements to be deemed the tenant's until the contrary has been shown, and exempting the tenant's improvement from rent.
819 (Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed by the Land Commission that the pink schedules referred to do not commonly show the result which is stated in the first part of the Question. The Commissioners fix fair rents in accordance with the provisions of the Land Law Acts, and the procedure is regulated by statutory rules. As to the concluding part of the Question, I am afraid that I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on Wednesday last.
§ MR. GINNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland will he arrange that in all Reports and Returns of transactions under the Land Act of 1903, when the land dealt with is untenanted, the Poor Law valuation shall be shown in lieu of yearly rent.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Land Commission inform me that untenanted land is, as a rule, purchased by the Estates Commissioners for division into parcels and distribution amongst the classes of persons referred to in Section 2 (1) of the Act of 1903. The tenement valuation is not always ascertainable even for the untenanted land so purchased as a whole, and when such land is divided into parcels it becomes necessary to have a revision of the tenement valuation to suit each parcel sold. This revision is not completed until after the untenanted land has been divided. It would not, therefore, be possible to show in the Returns the valuation in respect of the resales of such land in parcels.