HC Deb 23 November 1911 vol 31 cc1376-7
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE

asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether members of the Royal Engineers attached to the Board for survey duty in connection with the Ordnance Survey are being used for land valuers' work; and, if so, to what Department will their services be charged?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

Royal Engineers on the Ordnance Survey are not being employed on the valuation of land; but, for the assistance of the Board of Inland Revenue, the normal revision of the Ordnance Survey maps is being expedited and the order of revision rearranged so as to provide for the earlier revision of the maps in which changes have been specially numerous.

MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE

Am I to understand that no officer of the Royal Engineers has been employed at all on the land valuers' work?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

No Royal Engineer in connection with the Ordnance Survey.

MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE

May I ask whether any Royal Engineers were so employed?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

The Noble Lord had better address his question to the Secretary of State for War. I am not responsible for war.

MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether those members of the public who have been put to expense in preparing Form IV. will be indemnified for such expense, which was caused by an illegal act on the part of the Treasury?

Mr. HAROLD SMITH

asked whether the Government proposed to reimburse those who have been put to expense in obtaining professional assistance in order to answer the questions illegally insisted on by the Commissioners an the Revenue papers commonly known as Form IV. and Form VIII.?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

The answer is in the negative.

Mr. HAROLD SMITH

May I ask whether, in view of this decision there will be any guarantee that similar illegalities and tyrannies will not be perpetrated by the Insurance Commissioners?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

No tyranny was committed.

Mr. BOTTOMLEY

May I ask whether there is any redress against those legal advisers who have allowed their clients to incur expense in filling up the forms which they knew, or ought to have known, were illegal?