§ Sir I. Alberyasked the Minister of Health the purpose of the Rating, England, Product of Rates and Precepts Order (S.R. & O., No. 425, of 1944); 1216W and whether, as a result of the Order, expenditure will be shifted from rates to taxes, or vice versa.
§ Mr. WillinkThe purpose of the Order, which was made after consultation with the Associations of Local Authorities, is to enable rating authorities in making the calculation of the product of a penny rate to include in the cost of collection of rates payments made by them under section r of the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Act, 1939, to their employees on war service whose remuneration would have been so included if they had continued to serve in their civil capacity. The Order will not have any such effect as is suggested in the concluding part of the Question.