§ Mr. MARKHAMasked the hon. Member for the Crewe Division, as Church Estates Commissioner, if he will State the total income derived by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners from royalties and wayleaves during the year 1908; the maximum charge per ton and per acre levied for wayleaves on coal; and the maximum royalty per ton and per acre levied on coal during the same period?
§ Mr. J. TOMKINSONThe receipts of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners from mineral royalties and wayleaves in respect of their estates in the year ended 31st March, 1908, amounted to £463,438 11s. 3d. as shown in their sixty-first Report duly laid upon the Tables of the Houses of Parliament and published. For way-leaves on coal the maximum ordinary rate per ton received by the Commissioners is three-halfpence; in one case a rate of 2d. per ton is received. There are no acreage wayleave receipts included in the above-mentioned sum. The average rate of royalty on coal received by the Commissioners is approximately 6d. per ton. In respect to one seam included in a letting the royalty received was at the rate of 1s. 1d. (thirteen pence) per ton. With this exception the maximum rate was 10d. per ton, and this, as well as the rate of thirteen pence per ton, resulted from the operation of a sliding scale of royalty based upon the selling price of coal, which was much above the average. The maximum acreage royalty was at the rate of £30 per foot thick per acre, equivalent to about 5½d. per ton.
§ Mr. MARKHAMHave no returns been presented to this House since 1906, and if so, what is the cause of the delay?
§ Mr. TOMKINSONThe total receipts are published every year.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEIs the way leave on coal in respect of screened coal, or of the gross output?
§ Mr. TOMKINSONThe gross output.