§ 20. Mr. LEONARDasked the Minister of Health what is the total sum paid out of the Exchequer to recoup local authorities for loss of rating revenue through the whole or partial exemption of agricultural land and buildings since 1893?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of HEALTH (Mr. Shakespeare)The grants paid to local authorities in England and Wales under the Agricultural Rates Acts, 1896, 1923, and 1929, and under Section 112 of the Local Government Act, 1929, so far as it relates to the derating of agricultural hereditaments, amounted to £70,719,008. These grants were in respect of periods up to 31st March, 1930. As from 1st April, 1930, a general Exchequer contribution is distributed annually to local authorities under the Local Government Act, 1929. This includes amounts, calculated on the basis of the figures of the standard year 1928–29, equivalent to the grants previously paid under the Agricultural Rates Acts, 1896 and 1923 (amounting to £4,733,095) and to the losses on account of rates caused by the derating of agricultural, freight-transport and industrial hereditaments. It is not possible to state how much of the total losses on account of rates is attributable to any particular class of hereditament.