§ Major BARNSTONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, owing to legislation prior to the War and to legislation and Government requirements in connection with the War, the services of the police have become more national and less local in character; and, this being so, whether he will consider the advisability of arranging for a more equitable readjustment of the burden of the total net cost of the police forces, as between the Imperial Exchequer and the local rates, by means of a direct Grant, so as to make the total Exchequer contribution for each force equal to one-half of the total net cost of the police?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThis matter could only be dealt with properly as part of a general revision of the relations between Imperial and local taxation. Such a revision is, I am afraid, out of the question during the War.