HC Deb 03 August 1922 vol 157 cc1880-2

(1) Where any sum assessed upon any owner of tithe rentcharge attached to an ecclesiastical corporation or benefice in respect of any rate made by the overseers of a parish has by reason of the provisions of the Ecclesiastical Tithe Rentcharges (Rates) Act, 1920, become irrecoverable the overseers in satisfying any precept made upon them by any spending authority may, subject to the provisions of this Section, make such deduction as is hereinafter authorised from the amount which would but for this Section he payable to the spending authority.

(2) The amount which may be neducted under this Section from a precept shall not exceed the sum which bears the same relation to the amount irrecoverable as afore- said as the amount in the pound of the rate estimated to be required for the purpose of satisfying the precept bears to the total amount in the pound for which the rate was made.

(3) Where a precept sent by any spending authority to overseers includes a sum payable under precept to another spending authority, the sum so payable may he reduced by a deduction equivalent to that which could have been made by the overseers in pursuance of this Section if the precept had been addressed to them.

(4) This Section shall apply only hi respect of any sum which has become irrecoverable in respect of any rate made on or after the first day of October, nineteen hundred and twenty-two, and before the first day of January nineteen hundred and twenty-six.

(5) In this Section "spending authority" has the same meaning as in the Agricultural Rates Act, 1896, "precept" includes a contribution order, and "rate" means any rate made for the relief of the poor and for other purposes chargeable thereon according to law.

Mr. PRETYMAN

I beg to move, "That this House doth disagree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

The MINISTER of AGRICULTURE (Sir Arthur Boscawen)

I am obliged to make a short statement in reference to this Amendment, because, when the Clause was inserted in another place, the Government, in the Horse of Lords, accepted the Amend-merit. If those interested in the matter are anxious about persisting, it will be my duty to advise the House that we ought to agree with the Amendment. I have, however, received a letter from the Noble Lord the Member for Aldershot (Viscount Wolmer), who was interested in this Amendment, and was its chief author, saying that he is willing it should be waived in order that the rest of the Bill might proceed without opposition. The Noble Lord has called my attention to the fact that the present condition of the law as regards tithes and tithe rates is very unsatisfactory, especially in view of the fact that the Act of 1920 terminates in 192.5; and having regard to the temporary nature of the present legislation, I propose to advise that there should be an inquiry, and that either a Royal Commission or a strong Departmental Committee be appointed shortly to go into the whole question of the incidence, redemption and rate of tithes.

Mr. HOGGE

Is this a proposal on the part of the Government to set up a Royal Commission? May I ask the Leader of the House that question?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN (Leader of the House)

When my right hon. Friend speaks, of course he speaks on behalf of the Government.

Question, "That this House doth disagree with the Lords in the said Amendment," put, and agreed to.