§ MR. ROGERS (Wiltshire, Devizes)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the allotment holders on War Office property in the parish of Fittleton, Wilts, were informed, when they went to pay their rents for the past year, on the 17th October, that the rents had been increased by ¼. a pole, without due notice having been given to the tenants of such increase; and that the alleged reason is to make the tenants pay the cost of rates on the land; and whether, in view of the fact that the rents are already fully commensurate with the value and situation of the land, and have been hitherto, as in the case of neighbouring allotments on War Office property, taken to include payment of rates, he will inquire what justification exists for disturbing the existing terms on which these allotments are held.
§ MR. HALDANEThe rents were raised as stated. It appears from the inquiry that has been made that the rents can be raised only by determining the agreement except with the tenants' consent, and that the agreement can only be determined by three months' notice expiring at Michaelmas being given. 733 As this notice was not given this year, instructions have been issued to refund to the allotment holders the amounts of rates levied in the shape of increased rents. I may add that the sum in question is £1 11s 3d. per annum only, which is spread over some twenty-five allotments.
§ MR. ROGERSDo not the rents represent the full value of the land?
§ MR. HALDANEI will inquire.