§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Prime Minister whether a Committee is to be appointed to consider the readjustment of the relations between local and Imperial taxation; and, if so, whether he can promise that farmers shall be adequately represented upon it?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI hope to be able to announce the names of the members of the Committee during the course of this week. I fear I cannot undertake that representatives of particular classes of ratepayers shall be appointed. But care will be taken that the Committee shall include persons thoroughly familiar with both urban and rural rating problems.
Mr. PEELWhat particular points will be investigated by the Committee, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Royal Commissioners dealt with the whole subject a few years ago, and is not the appointment of the Committee almost indefinitely postponed by the right hon. Gentleman's answer?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo, it is not intended to be indefinitely postponed but rather accelerated.
Mr. PEELWhat points have this Committee still left to investigate and has not the whole of the information on this subject been for some time entirely at the disposal of the Government?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. If the whole of the facts were available it would not be necessary to appoint a Committee. The terms of reference will be made known when I make known the composition.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs it not the fact that this problem as to valuation was met in the Finance Act of 1909–10?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe subventions to local authorities have changed since that Commission first sat, and additional facts have had to be taken into consideration.