HC Deb 11 March 1936 vol 309 cc2129-30
53. Mr. HOPKIN

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that payment of manorial incidents, customary fines, and chief rents is now being demanded in Carmarthenshire; and will he say on what basis the amount payable for extinguishment is made?

Mr. RAMSBOTHAM

Under the Property Acts, all manorial incidents were automatically extinguished on 1st January, 1936, and, so far as any Crown Manors in Carmarthenshire are concerned, demands are only being made for payment of manorial incidents due before that date. I have no information regarding other manors in Carmarthenshire. As regards the second part of the question, the subject being of a very technical nature, I propose, with permission, to circulate a short statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the statement:

For a period of five years from 1st January, 1936, lords of manors and owners of land out of which these incidents issued may apply to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for an award determining the amount of compensation for extinguishment, and the scale of compensation laid down in Part II of the Thirteenth Schedule to the Law of Property Act, 1922, will normally be used as the basis of the determination. No application for an award has yet been received from Carmarthenshire. There is, however, nothing in the Property Acts to prevent the parties reaching a non-statutory agreement as to compensation without reference to the Ministry and, as regards Crown Manors in Carmarthenshire, such agreements will provide for compensation calculated as nearly as may be in accordance with the scale set forth in the Property Acts.