HC Deb 24 April 1951 vol 487 cc206-7
50. Mr. F. Maclean

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of officials authorised to carry out inspections and investigations without search warrant in private business and residential premises at 1st April.

Mr. Gaitskell

In March the figure was 19,448, of whom 5,959 were authorised to enter private houses used exclusively as such.

Mr. Maclean

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that, according to the figures given to the House by his predecessor last July, this represents an increase of 15,000 officials in that period? How does he account for that?

Mr. Gaitskell

Because the Inland Revenue have taken over valuation duties from the local authorities.

Mr. S. Silverman

Can my right hon. Friend say what proportion of these people exercise these powers under authority which came into existence prior to 1945?

Mr. Gaitskell

By far the greater part of them, although I cannot give the exact figure.

Brigadier Prior-Palmer

Are these people allowed to enter private houses without making an appointment and without the permission of the owner?

Mr. Gaitskell

No, Sir. There is a Question on the Order Paper a little later which deals with that point.

59. Mr. Keeling

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he has made for rating valuation officers to work outside their ordinary hours of duty if they wish to inspect a house which either is unoccupied during those hours or is owned by a person who wishes to be present during the visit and is himself working elsewhere during such hours.

Mr. Gaitskell

No fresh arrangements are necessary as there is a standing instruction to valuation officers to meet all reasonable requests as to dates and times of inspection. The hon. Member can rest assured that if a property is unoccupied during office hours the inspection will be carried out at some other convenient time.

Mr. Keeling

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that the innuendo in the valuation officer's letter to a householder which I sent him was that householders were made for the valuation officers and not the other way round?

Mr. Gaitskell

I do not think that is really fair. The hon. Member and I have exchanged correspondence in this case, and I hope he will let the matter lie where it is now. The officer concerned has offered to meet the hon. Member's constituent and visit his house at a mutually convenient time.

Mr. Keeling

I am now satisfied.

Brigadier Prior-Palmer

Would the right hon. Gentleman make it perfectly clear to these officers that they must take every step to make arrangements and give notification of their arrival? If I give him an example of somebody who arrived at and entered into a house when it was unoccupied, and asked neighbours questions about that house, will he take action against that officer?

Mr. Gaitskell

Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will let me have particulars.

Mr. F. Maclean

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us exactly the number of valuation officers now operating?

Mr. Gaitskell

Perhaps the hon. Member could put down that question.