§ Mr. Leachasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he wilt set forth in tabular form the financial concessions made to land, agriculture, and industry each year from inception under the Agricultural Rating Acts, the 1929 Local Government Act, and the various measures instituted for the assistance of wheat, sugar-beet, cattle production, shipping, milk, meat, etc.?
§ Mr. ChamberlainIt is not possible to give figures for the benefit which agriculture and industry, including transport, have derived year by year from derating. Under the Local Government Acts, 1929, the reliefs under the Agricultural Rates Acts were absorbed in the general de-rating provisions associated with the block grants. The amounts included in the block grants in respect of the year 1928–29 on the basis of the benefit in that year totalled approximately £25,650,000. The following table shows the amounts paid as subsidies from the Exchequer and the Wheat Deficiency Payments under the Wheat Act, 1932, during the five years 1932 to 1936:
and whether this announcement will in any way prejudice the tenure of posts now held by non-ex-service men?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleI would refer the hon. Member my replies to the hon. Members for Rochdale (Mr. Kelly) and Shipley (Mr. A. C. Jones) on 6th April. If the hon. Member has any particular grade in mind, perhaps he will communicate with me. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.