RATING (WAR DAMAGE) (SCOTLAND) BILL. (Hansard, 11 June 1941)

LORD ALNESS

My Lords, I shall have to encroach on your Lordships' time for a very few minutes only in moving the Second Reading of this Bill. It is a short and simple war-time measure which requires no eloquence and little argument in order to commend it to your Lordships' House. The Bill had a friendly reception in another place and it encountered no opposition there. I can say also that it has the assent of the three local authority associations in Scotland whose representatives were consulted with regard to its provisions. The Bill has only one operative clause, the purpose of which is to enable rating authorities in Scotland to grant such relief from rates as they think just and equitable where the property of an individual has been rendered wholly, or to a substantial extent, uninhabitable by enemy action. That is the purpose of the Bill, which I hope your Lordships will think is a just and reasonable purpose.

I wish to add only a word or two with regard to four features of the Bill. The first is that the intention and effect of the 403 Bill is to bring the law of Scotland in this matter into conformity with the law of England as I understand it. In Scotland to-day a rating authority has no power to remit rates unless on the ground of poverty or inability to pay. Now that means that unless a man can declare and prove that he is without resources, then, although his premises may have been completely destroyed or substantially damaged, he has no right to claim relief. That is different according to the law of England, and it discloses an inequity in our system in Scotland which it is the design of this Bill to remedy. That is the first feature of this measure to which I desire to draw your Lordships' attention.

The second feature is that the Bill is retrospective in its provisions. It provides that where bombing damage has been done to property in Scotland, relief from rates may be given notwithstanding that that damage has taken place before the Bill reaches the Statute Book. I hope and believe that your Lordships will regard that as a just and proper provision. The third feature to which I desire to allude is that the Bill provides in terms that relief which may be given may be given by repayment of rates which have been already paid, or by reduced assessments 404 in the future. That introduces a measure of elasticity, of flexibility to the task of the local authority in the discharge of the discretionary power conferred upon it by this Bill. It appears to me that this is desirable.

The last feature which I wish to emphasize is that this is a rates Bill and not a rent Bill. I quite recognise that, though upon the fringe of this subject lie a number of difficult questions relating to rent; nevertheless, having regard to the title of the Bill, it would not have been competent to include provisions dealing with them in this measure. They must await legislation of a separate and relevant character, and I am assured that the subject of rent and any improvement in the law relating to it has engaged the attention of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, who will deal with it at an appropriate time and in an appropriate way. With these observations I leave the Bill in your Lordships' hands and I hope that you will give it now a Second Reading.