§ 16. Sir WILFRID SUGDENasked the Minister of Health what are the rules as to the types of accounts to be kept by rating authorities which have adopted the system of payment of rates by instalments?
§ Sir K. WOODThe rules governing the accounts to be kept by all rating authorities are contained in the Rate Accounts Orders of 1926, of which I am sending my hon. Friend copies. Slight departures from the provisions of these Orders, which vary in different cases, are usually necessitated by the adoption of a system of instalments, and my sanction to such departures is normally given. There are, however, no special rules relating to the type of accounts to be kept in such cases.
§ 19. Mr. GARDNER (for Mr. THORNE)asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities that have given their ratepayers permission to pay rates by revenue stamps; and whether this method of collecting rates has been so far successful?
§ Sir K. WOODMy approval for the adoption of a system allowing ratepayers to pay rates by means of revenue or other stamps is not required, and I have therefore no precise information as to the extent to which such permission is given or how far it has met with success. So far, however, as my knowledge extends the practice has been adopted by very few authorities, and some of these have abandoned it after a period of trial.