§ 53. Mr. NEWMANasked the Prime Minister whether he can now state the names of the Committee recently appointed to inquire into and report on the conditions under which land is at present owned and used in this country; whether he can give the exact terms of reference; and whether the scope of their inquiry is to extend to Ireland?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWith regard to the first part of the question, I can add nothing to the reply which I gave to the hon. Baronet the Member for Ayr Burghs on 10th July last. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. NEWMANAre we, then, to regard this Committee as simply a week-end house party of philanthropists?
58. Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)asked the Prime Minister if the Land Tax Committee which met at Gaddesby Hall, Leicester, recently is the one which was formed with his sanction; if so, whether he will take steps with a view to the Committee conducting its deliberations in a manner more calculated to inspire confidence in its findings; whether, in regard to the collection of materials and in other ways, the Committee is acting in entire independence of any Government Department and without any official assistance; and, if so, what guarantee exists as to the reliability of the Committee's conclusions?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understand that certain members of the Committee enjoyed the hospitality of one of their colleagues on the occasion referred to, but that no meeting of the Committee took place. As regards the last two branches of the question, I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave on 8th July last.
Mr. FRED HALLMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman considers it advisable that important questions should be gone into at the house of a private Member of his own party; and also may I ask whether any expenses that have to be borne are paid from the National Exchequer?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have already said that no expense of any sort or kind is to be borne by the public funds.
§ Mr. NEWMANHas this Committee met yet?
§ Mr. KINGMay I ask whether the hospitality indicated was done on equal style to the recent hospitality at Grosvenor House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERNotice should be given of any further questions.
§ 59. Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the Prime Minister whether, before introducing any further legislation affecting the land, he is prepared to set up a Royal Commission to inquire into the whole question of the land system of this country, including the burdens, national and local, borne by the land as compared with other forms of capital or property, the cost of conveyance, and the causes of rural depopulation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs at present advised, I am not prepared to accede to this suggestion.