§ Mr. HAYES FISHERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that the Departmental Committee on Imperial and Local Taxation was appointed so long ago as April, 1911, and that it was purposely constituted with the view of its proceeding expeditiously and reporting early upon the subject, and having regard to the further fact that the reference to the Committee was to make recommendations on the subject with the view to the introduction of legislation at an early date, he will represent to the Committee the necessity of settling their Report or at least of producing an Interim Report without further delay, having regard to the urgent claims of the local authorities for increased Imperial subventions; and whether, seeing that the financial arangements in the matter of Imperial and local taxation are different in England and Wales from those in Scotland and Ireland, he will ask the Committee to issue a separate Report dealing with England and Wales, thus following the precedent of the Royal Commission on Local Taxation which reported in 1901?
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of his assurance to this House more than a year ago that the Departmental Committee on Local and Imperial Taxation would carry out their work expeditiously and make their Report at the earliest possible moment, he will take steps to accelerate the issue of such Report which is now long overdue?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI have no reason to doubt that the Committee will be as expeditious as possible, and having regard to the difficulty and comprehensiveness of the subject I do not consider that an Interim Report would serve any useful purpose; nor am I prepared to interfere with1702W the discretion of the Committee as regards dealing with England and Wales separately from Scotland and Ireland.