§ 61. Mr. STANIERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many occasional valuations have been made under the provisions of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910; and how many of such valuations have resulted in claims being made for Increment Value Duty and substantiated?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)Up to 29th March, 1913, occasional valuations had been made of 539,970 hereditaments in Great Britain and 1,051 claims to Increment Value Duty have been substantiated.
§ Mr. CASSELIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in each of these cases, apart from all other expenses, a cost of one guinea is incurred, making a minimum cost to the public of an additional 500,000 guineas under that head alone?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI do not want to argue it now, hut, as the hon. and learned Gentleman knows, it provides a very valuable register which, I hope, one day will be amalgamated with the Land Registry and which will facilitate land transfer and make it much cheaper.
§ Mr. CASSELIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the occasional valuation has nothing to do with the original valuation?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI am talking of the record of the transaction.
§ Mr. CASSELIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this particular matter to which I was calling attention, of a guinea in each case, has nothing to do with the original valuation, but the occasional valuation made on the occasion of each sale?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is what I am referring to.
§ 62. Mr. BOYTONasked whether the estimate of £630,086 for the expenses of 377 the Land Valuation Office for the year 1913–14 includes rent and other office expenses of the district and other official valuers?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe estimate does not include the rent of the offices referred to in the hon. Member's question, which is defrayed from the Vote for Public Works and Buildings, but it does include the expenses of cleaning and taking care of those offices.