HC Deb 14 October 1912 vol 42 cc783-4
72. Mr. CHARLES BATHURST

asked when it is proposed to issue the Report of the Treasury Departmental Committee on the relation between Imperial and Local Taxation and the incidence of the latter upon the persons, respectively, interested in real estate; and whether he will consider the advisability of suspending any further and more private investigation with the object of throwing further burdens upon agricultural land pending the issue of such Report, and in view of its possible refutation of the assumptions upon which the proposed further investigation is based?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

As regards the first part of the question, I fear that I can add nothing to what I said in my reply to the hon. Member for South Paddington on the 19th July. As regards the latter part of the question, the investigation that the hon. Member has in mind is based upon no assumptions, nor is its object to throw further burdens on agricultural land. Its object is to obtain information.

Mr. C. BATHURST

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman what steps he proposes to take if the Report of the De- partmental Committee conflicts with the Report of the Private Inquiry Committee?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I should like to wait for the result of both before answering that.

Mr. WEDGWOOD

Is not the Departmental Committee composed almost entirely of officials?

Mr. C. BATHURST

May I ask how much longer we shall have to wait for the Report of the Departmental Committee, bearing in mind that part of the evidence is already published?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I could not say. In an inquiry of that kind many points must be considered very carefully before any conclusion can be come to. For instance, there is the great question of areas, which is the most difficult in local taxation, which has hardly been gone into at all yet.

Mr. C. BATHURST

Is it not hard that a campaign is being conducted on the strength of evidence brought before a Departmental Committee whose Report is not yet published?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I do not know that the appointment of a Committee of that sort should prevent discussion on public questions.