§ Brigadier-General Makinsasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the reason for the delay in commencing the work of apportionment in the near future; who are the personnel undertaking this work; whether they are operating on any particular system in regard to any particular counties; and whether, to remove public dissatisfaction, he will endeavour to arrange that greater activity is shown by the authorities concerned?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleThere has been no avoidable delay in commencing the work of apportionment of tithe redemption annuities charged in respect of land in the ownership of two or more owners. As stated in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for East Grinstead (Colonel Clarke) on 10th December last, the total number of such annuities is very large and much preliminary investigation has been necessary before a commencement could be made with apportionment. This preliminary investigation, notwithstanding the heavy burden on the Tithe Redemption Commission in connection with compensation to tithe owners and the collection of annuities, has now been very largely accomplished and it is intended to commence the apportionment work in a few weeks' time. Preference will be given to the most urgent cases wherever they may be situated.
The Tithe Redemption Commission are responsible under the Tithe Act, 1936, for this work. The staff of the Commission, as well as the 120 firms who act as collectors in all parts of the country, will be augmented from time to time as 1644W may be found necessary. In the meantime, as stated in my answer to the hon. and gallant Member for East Grinstead on 1st February last, arrangements have been made by the Commission, wherever there is evidence of agreement between the landowners concerned as to the proportions in which an annuity should be collected, to collect on that basis pending formal apportionment.