Captain FABERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state whether the War Office property, namely, the Manor Farm, at Ludgershall, near Tidworth Barracks, is to be rated at its agricultural value or, as provided for in the Budget, as building land; and will he consent to pay a portion of its ultimate increased value through the acts of a water company, should the latter carry their existing water mains along the frontage of the building sites on War Department 560 land, seeing that the War Department, would in that case be reaping a profit in increased value?
§ Mr. REEShad also given notice to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether land situated in the immediate vicinity of a town in Middlesex, within 10 miles of London, purchased at £250 an acre, in order to prevent building thereon, but on quasi-public grounds, will be liable to the tax upon undeveloped land, such land not amounting to a public park, but being let for agricultural purposes at a rental of which the tax, if levied, would, it is understood, amount to upwards of 25 per cent.?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI would suggest that it is useless for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to attempt to deal with specific cases of this kind until the text of the Finance Bill is before the House.