§ 58. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the number of rating authorities in Scotland which have made arrangements for exemption from payment of occupiers' assessments on the ground of poverty, under Section 9 of the House Letting and Rating (Scotland) Act, 1911, and the number of rating authorities which have decided that no such exemption can be made under the provisions of the said Act, specifying in each case the authorities concerned?
§ 59. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in consequence of the passing of the House Letting and Rating (Scotland) Act, 1911, diversity of practice exists among the rating authorities in Scotland in regard to the granting of exemption from occupiers' assessments on the ground of poverty; whether a number of important rating authorities, including the county council of Lanarkshire and a number of parish councils in that county, have 245 adopted machinery for carrying into effect the provisions of the Act relating to this matter; and whether he agrees with the view that it is practicable by some such methods as those which have been adopted by various rating authorities in different parts of Scotland to give effect to the aforesaid provisions of the Act?
§ 62. Mr. CHARLES PRICEasked the Lord Advocate whether, in view of the statement when the House Letting Bill was before the House of Commons that the Bill would not in the slightest degree affect the rights of an indigent occupier to secure exemption from rates, and of the fact that Glasgow, Aberdeen, Paisley, Greenock, and Lanarkshire have made provision under the Act for giving relief to an indigent occupier, he will explain why the city of Edinburgh has declined to give the relief formerly given, and upon what grounds?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI am not in a position to explain the views of the Corporation of Edinburgh on the subject, and, indeed, I am not aware whether they have as yet come to a final decision.
§ Sir G. YOUNGERIs it not the fact that this difficulty was pointed out when the Act was passed in this House, and that there is really no Act of Parliament in existence which permits owners to be exempted from rates, but only occupiers?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThat may be so, but ways have been found by a number of local authorities for exempting poor occupiers.
§ Sir G. YOUNGERBut is it not an illegal thing to do?