HC Deb 21 June 1921 vol 143 cc1329-30

(1) The Stamp Duty charged on local authorities by the District Auditors Act, 1879, as amended by any other Act, in respect of the audit of their accounts by district auditors, shall, instead of being calculated according to the scale contained in the First Schedule to that Act, be calculated according to a scale to be fixed from time to time by the Treasury after consultation with the Minister of Health, and the scale so fixed shall be such as to secure that the duties levied under the said Act shall be sufficient to meet the costs incurred, in respect of the remuneration including superannuation allowances, and the expenses, of district auditors.

(2) The Treasury may, after consultation with the Minister of Health, direct that the Stamp Duty charged under the said Act shall, in the case of any particular local authority, istead of being an amount calculated according to the scale to be fixed under this Section, be such an amount, not exceeding the amount chargeable under the scale, as the Treasury think fit having regard to the cost of the audit of the accounts of that authority.—[Sir It. Horne.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

Sir R. HORNE

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."

The purpose of this Clause is to bring the scale of charges in connection with local audits into relation with present-day costs. The Treasury has now to bear one-half of the cost, and the Clause which I now submit is to make it possible for a scale of charges to be drawn up by the Treasury, in consultation with the Ministry of Health, to meet present-day salaries and the necessary expenses incurred by the auditors in the discharge of their duties.

Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.

Motion made, and Question, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again," put, and agreed to.—[Sir B. Horne.]

Committee report Progress; to sit again To-morrow (Wednesday).

The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.

It being after half-past Eleven of the Clock upon Tuesday evening, Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER adjourned the House, without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned at Five Minutes before Five o'clock a.m.