Mr. KINGasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, under Section 30, Subsection (2), of the Finance Act, 1910, any person interested for any purpose; whether statistical, commercial, or any other, in knowing the value of any land, will now be informed on application to the Commissioners the values fixed on by the valuers under the Act?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARYto the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse): The answer is in the negative. The right conferred by Section 30 (2) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, does not extend to persons whose interest is merely academic.
Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that most of the text-books on this Act, edited by competent lawyers, take the opposite view?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI am not responsible for the text-books, and I do not profess to be a competent lawyer.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo, Sir, I prefer to act upon the legal advice of our legal advisers.
§ Sir HERBERT RAPHAELWe have been informed on several occasions by representatives of the Government that the Government would consider the propriety of making that valuation public; are we to understand that that promise is withdrawn?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo, Sir, you are not to understand that. If my hon. Friend will look at the question he will see that it is not what may be in the future, but what is law at present.