§ Mr. BOWERMANasked the Postmaster-General if representations have reached him to the effect that, in connection with the impending transfer of the National Telephone Company's undertaking to the Post Office, no statutory provision has been made to retain the property as rateable hereditaments, and that, in the absence of such statutory provision, the local rates must suffer unless the Government continues to pay local rates on the telephone undertaking after the transfer or makes an equivalent contribution in lieu thereof based on the full annual value of the undertaking; whether such representations have been considered; and, if so, can he state the result?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)Representations to this effect have reached me. Statutory provision to make Crown property rateable would be unusual, and is, moreover, unnecessary. As I have already stated in reply to earlier questions, the Government is prepared to make some contribution in lieu of rates on the buildings and plant to be acquired, but the precise basis of the contribution has not yet been settled. Returns of assessments are being furnished by the National Telephone Company, and have to be considered.