HC Deb 19 July 1909 vol 8 cc13-5
Mr. REMNANT

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can explain why Part III. of the recent Blue Book on Taxes on Land publishes in extenso the minority Reports with regard to taxation of site values in the case of the Royal Commission on Local Taxation, and ignores the minority Report on the same subject in the case of the Select Committee of this House on the Land Values Taxation (Scotland) Bill, 1906?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

As the hon. Member must be aware, it is not the custom of Select Committees of this House to issue minority Reports. Perhaps, however, he refers to the Special Report of the Select Committee on the Land Values Taxation (Scotland) Bill, 1906. My right, hon. Friend did not think it necessary to cause the whole of this Report to be reprinted in the Land Taxation volume, but extracted therefrom the section dealing with the Practicability of Land Value Valuation, to which subject the Committee devoted the greater part of their Report.

Mr. REMNANT

The right hon. Gentleman cannot have seen what is published in the Blue Book. There is no reference whatever to the minority Report.

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is not entitled to make a speech.

Captain CRAIG

May I ask why the Government dodge these things in such a way that only evidence in their favour is published, and not evidence on the other side?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

That is not the fact.

Mr. REMNANT

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will publish these portion of the Report which tell against the proposals of the Government?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

If there are any which tell against the proposals of the Government they will be published.

Mr. REMNANT

Will the right hon. Gentleman publish them?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

I have already stated that the Government are perfectly willing to publish any extracts on the subject.

Mr. REMNANT

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman means that the whole of the minority Report will be published in extenso?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

I have pointed out that there is no minority Report. There is no possible way in which there can be a minority Report of a Select Committee.

Mr. REMNANT

Does the right hon. Gentleman draw a distinction between the Reports of Royal Commissions and the Reports of Select Committees in dealing with these questions?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

Of course; there is all the distinction in the world. Every hon. Gentleman who has ever sat on both knows that a Royal Commission can present, and frequently does present, a minority Report. A Select Committee cannot, and therefore does not.