LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHMy Lords, I need not occupy much time in asking the House to agree to the Return asked for in my Motion because, as your Lordships will naturally suppose, I approached the Local Government Board to find out whether there would be any objection to it. It is really intended to be in supplement and in continuation of a Return which I moved for some five or six years ago, at the time when I was Chairman of the Local Taxation Commission. At first I thought it would be desirable to have that Return brought up to date, but the communications which I received 828 from the Local Government Board convinced me that it would be unduly costly—;costly out of proportion to any good that would be gained—;to ask for that; and therefore I have put the Motion on the Paper in an amended form.
I take this opportunity of acknowledging the courtesy with which my representations were received by the Local Government Board, and I hope to hear, as I believe I shall, that there is no objection to this Return. The Return I asked for five years ago set out, in respect of each union, the value of all kinds of property assessed for the poor rate, dividing them into lands, buildings, railways, and other sub-divisions. I have ascertained that there is a Return presented every year under the Acts of 1862 and 1897 known as the Annual Local Taxation Return, and all that I ask is that there should be a small supplementary Return dividing one of the columns which appears in that Return—;namely, the one which gives the annual value of hereditaments—; and showing the value respectively of railways and other properties separated one from the other.
I think that perhaps few of your Lordships realise the importance of this in respect of the greatly increasing amount at which railways are being annually assessed for local purposes. Last year railways contributed nearly £5,000,000 to local taxation, and so far as I can gather, the increase has been very rapid in the last two or three years. I believe that in the last three years the increase amounted each year to £250,000 or £300,000. To some extent this must arise from the opening of new railways and the like, but the increase is very alarming to those who are interested in railway property. I think it extremely desirable that the full facts should be made known, and I believe that the preparation and publication of this Return will aid in that object.
Moved, "That there be laid before the House a Return showing for each union in England and Wales (a) the gross estimated rental, and (b) the rateable value in 1899 and in 1906 of (i) All rateable hereditaments, and (ii.) railways 829 included in (i.) (the term 'railways' to include stations and depôts)."—;Lord Balfour of Burleigh.)
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (Earl CARRINGTON)My Lords, in reply to the noble Lord, I have to say that my right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board will be very glad to meet the noble Lord's wishes. The Return which he asks for will be prepared with the least possible delay.
On Question, agreed to, and ordered accordingly.