§ 74 and 75. Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the President of the Local Government Board (74) by what statutory, legal, or other authority were the claims for payment out of the Local Taxation Accounts in respect of the London and Middlesex County Councils for Metropolitan Police purposes abated or paid short of the usual equivalent of a 4d. rate by the Local Government Board in 1911 or at any other time, and similar claims for London, Middlesex, and Croydon abated or paid short, or proposed to be abated or paid short, this current year, thus affording an opportunity for the authorities of the Metropolitan Police to throw a burden on a number of poor districts of outer London, who, having been made to pay in full from their own respective exchequer contribution accounts, have thus also been compelled by threats of distraint to make up out of rates for the short payments of richer authorities; (75) whether, although the claim for payment out of the Local Taxation Account by the London County Council has been abated or paid short, the amount charged to the London ratepayers is really in effect more than they would nominally pay for police purposes?
§ Mr. BURNSWith reference to these questions I have practically nothing to add to the answers on this subject given to the hon. Member yesterday and to-day by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The reason for the abatements made in respect of the year ended March, 1911, was explained on pages cii. and ciii. 528 of Part II. of the Annual Report of the Local Government Board for that year. The circumstances were similar last year.