§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a provisional valuation has been issued by the official valuer, fixing the original gross value and original full site value of 49, Kingsdown Road, Upper Holloway, at £420 and £157, respectively; that the house is described in the valuation as vacant, although used as an office, but not visited every day; that the district valuer of the Valuation Department of the Inland Revenue sent a communication on 24th April intimating that a valuer of the Department had been instructed to inspect the property for the purpose of ascertaining the value thereof, and asking for facilities for inspection; that, owing to the absence of the caretaker through illness, this letter was not received for some days; that, previous to its receipt, the provisional valuation paper was sent to the owner at another address, and it was therefore useless to make arrangements for the valuer to visit the place and inspect it; and that apparently the premises were valued without having been inspected; and if he can state whether this is an isolated instance or an ordinary custom?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI am informed that the property referred to by the hon. Member is one of an estate of similar houses situate in the same street, and was described on Form IV., returned by the lessee, as "occupied by caretaker for owner." When the valuer called to inspect the premises, in accordance with his advice note, he was unable to obtain an entry. As, however, the house appeared to be similar in all respects to others inspected and valued on the same day, it was not considered necessary to make a further attempt to inspect it. I understand that no notice of objection to the provisional valuation has been given.