§ Sir T. BENNETTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in the Land Valuation Department have been dispensed with since the abolition of duties on land values, how much has been saved thereby, how many are still employed, on what duty, and at what cost?
Mr. YOUNGThe recent saving as regards staff who were previously engaged in assessment and collection of the duties amounts to some £6,500 per annum. That staff did not form part of the Valuation Office. There has been no material variation in the present numbers of staff in the1586W Valuation Office from the numbers given for 1920 in the Fifth Report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure. The Report in question specifically pointed out that the repeal of the three, Land Values Duties would operate only to a small extent towards reducing the volume of work in the Valuation Office. As to the nature of that work I may perhaps refer my hon. Friend to the Minute of Instructions issued in regard to the Select Committee's recommendations and laid before the House as a Command Paper (No. 918 of 1920).