§ 55. Mr. Dribergasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what grounds he has ruled that shops run by private concessionaires at the United States Air Force base at Wethersfield, Essex, are not rateable.
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)The premises concerned are held on requisition by the Air Ministry, and in accordance with usual practice rates are, therefore, not payable. The concessionaires referred to in the Question are operating for the United States Forces a service equivalent to that performed by N.A.A.F.I. in respect of Her Majesty's Forces.
§ Mr. DribergYes, but would the hon. Gentleman look at this again? Is it not a bit hard on the ratepayers of the Brain-tree rural district that these perfectly ordinary private traders, working for private profit, should be exempt from rates merely because of the accident that the ground on which they are operating happens to be requisitioned?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIt is an interesting point, but those people are not accurately described by the term "perfectly normal private traders." They operate as a kind of agent on behalf of the United States Forces. The provision rests on a general provision of law that land held on requisition by Service Departments does not pay rates.
§ Mr. DribergAre they not in com petition with other local shopkeepers who have to pay rates?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterYes, in precisely the same degree as N.A.A.F.I. operating for our own Forces would be.
§ Mr. DribergThat is non-profit making.