§ 72. Mr. DUNCAN MILLARasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount required to provide for de-rating under the English and Scottish Local Government Acts of 1929 during the current financial year; and the estimated amount which each of the principal industries will receive in relief of rates during that period?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Pethick-Lawrence)The part of the General Exchequer Contribution which represents losses on account of rates under Section 86 (3) (a) of the Local Government Act is estimated at £22,600,000 for England and Wales and the corresponding figure for Scotland is £3,200,000. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Perry) on the 1st April last. The figure of £34,000,000 given in that reply includes, in addition to the above figures, the increased grants to local authorities under the scheme.
§ Mr. MILLARCannot the hon. Gentleman undertake to make some estimate of the amount which will be given to the various industries, in order to see whether this Measure can be justified?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEI do not think that I can make any further estimate than that to which the previous answer referred.
§ Mr. SKELTONIs not the justification of the Act that nobody proposes to repeal it?
§ Mr. MUGGERIDGEHave any of these industries shown any greater success or done better business in consequence of de-rating?