§ Lord BALCARRES (for Mr. Harmood-Banner)asked what proportion of the estimated income of £350,000 from the duty of ½d. in the pound on undeveloped land and ungotten minerals is derived from each of these sources of revenue separately?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEIt is not possible before the valuation is made to give any very precise estimate, but I anticipate that about £175,000 will be received from each source during the first year.
§ Lord BALCARRES (for Mr. Harmood-Banner)asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the suggested taxation of land values and leasehold property will apply to property owned and leased by county and non-county boroughs; and whether, if so, in view of the charge which will fall upon the county and non-county boroughs in consequence, he will contribute any sum in relief out of the taxation received in consequence of the improvements made by them and the added value thereof?
§ Lord BALCARRES (for Mr. Harmood-Banner)asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the interests involved, he will issue a memorandum defining the nature of the land which is to be subject to the tax on unearned increment and showing the exact method by which it is to be distinguished from agricultural land?
§ Lord BALCARRES (for Mr. Harmood-Banner)asked what arrangements will be made to rehouse the poorer tenants displaced by the action of the taxation of undeveloped land when brought into use, and no longer withheld from full beneficial occupation by waiting for a rise in value without corresponding payment of any rates or taxes?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEWith reference to the four questions put down by the hon. Member, I should like to point out that they relate to matters which are fully dealt with in the Finance Bill, and which it is not easy or convenient to discuss by means of question and answer before the Bill is in the hands of the House. I hope that we may be able to dispose of Resolutions as quickly as possible, and I can assure the hon. Member that there will then be no delay on our part in introducing the Bill. But, meantime, I do not think it would be advisable that I should attempt to deal with points of the kind in answer to questions.
§ Lord BALCARRESasked a further question which was inaudible in the Gallery.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThat is so. I quite agree that that ought to be excepted. I will supply the Noble Lord with the answer in the course of the afternoon.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to let us have the answer to Question 56, which is of vast importance to the great municipal corporations of the country, many of whom have interests which will be vitally affected by the answer to this question?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI quite agree with the right hon. Gentleman that it is a very important question. My difficulty is to draw the line between one question and another with regard to the details of a Bill which has not been introduced yet. Once the Bill is introduced it will be discovered that it was quite unnecessary to put the vast majority of these questions, because the Bill itself will be a complete answer. Therefore I am afraid it will be difficult to draw the line between one question and another. There is no difficulty in answering the question. If I might suggest, in the course of the general discussion we are about to initiate general questions of principle can easily be elucidated, but it is very difficult for me in the course of a short answer to a question to give a sufficient explanation.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINCannot the right hon. Gentleman do in this case what is habitually done by Ministers introducing Bills—state the answer which, as he says, can easily be given, as to what the intentions of His Majesty's Government are in the legislation they are proposing?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI propose to follow the course which every Minister up to the present has pursued in introducing a Bill or in the Debate on the first reading. I will answer in the course of the Debate any general questions which are put. It will give me an opportunity of presenting the Bill in a clear and, I hope, comprehensive form, whereas I cannot possibly do it by question and answer.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIf the right hon. Gentleman means to give the information in his speech I am satisfied, and I do not press him further. Arising out of his answer to No. 57, will he, in that case, lay a memorandum? All the information obviously cannot be given across the House by answer. It is only by laying a memorandum such as he offered to do the other night that we can be put in possession of his intentions.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEReally, Question 57 is an illustration of the absolute impossibility of conducting these investigations by means of question and answer, The Bill is the best memorandum, and it is the only memorandum which will be necessary, because it will show that this question is absolutely irrelevant.