§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, if all grants from the Development Fund are to be conditional upon proportional local contributions to the objects for which such grants are made, private benefactions will be reckoned as fulfilling the conditions of such grants equally with the rate-provided expenditure of local authorities; and, (2), whether it is the intention of the Development Commissioners to recommend grants from the Development Fund for the various purposes specified in the Development and Roads Improvement Act only on condition that a proportion of the cost of approved schemes is thrown upon the local ratepayers, however national in character such schemes may be; and, if so, how it is proposed in the poorer agricultural counties where development schemes are most necessary, and the burden of the present high rates most sorely felt, to promote effectively the objects of the above Act?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe Commissioners have not laid down any general condition of the kind referred to, nor, so far as I am aware, do they propose to do so. As they have explained on page 10 of their annual report, recently published, they are of opinion that in certain cases it is right and proper that assistance from the Development Fund should be conditional on corresponding contributions from local or other sources, unless it can be shown that those sources have been previously exhausted. The decision in any particular case will naturally depend on the extent, if any, to which local as disdinct from national interests are involved.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise, as I have en- 1821 deavoured to point out, that the poorer counties are about to suffer if local contributions are going to be made a condition of every Grant out of the Development Fund?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI realise that the hon. Member has pointed it out, but I am afraid I cannot agree with him.