§ 24. Mr. K. Thompsonasked the Attorney-General if he is aware that the present rates of stamp duty and professional charges for legal services in connection with house purchase are a deterrent to intending owner-occupiers; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce them.
The Attorney-GeneralStamp duty and legal charges constitute a comparatively small proportion of the cost of house purchase, and I have no evidence that they are in themselves a deterrent 87W to intending owner-occupiers. The rates of stamp duty on property costing up to £3,450 were reduced in 1952.Solicitors'charges are regulated by an independent statutory committee, which reviewed the charges as recently as last year, but in the case of all unregistered land costing less than £10,000 no increase has been made in solicitors'charges since 1944 in spite of the increases in overhead expenses since that date.
NUMBER OF FAT CATTLE, SHEEP AND PIGS PURCHASED IN CORNWALLL DURING 1945 TO 1950 INCLUSIVE — 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 Cattle … … 43,202 40,310 38,462 35,608 37,168 49,643 Sheep/Lambs … 82,432 113,513 88,117 85,371 94,208 107,825 Pigs … … 41,183 52,451 29,958 29,750 66,084 98,344
§ 32. Mr. Haymanasked the Minister of Food how many gallons of milk were purchased on behalf of his Department by the Milk Marketing Board in Cornwall during each of the years 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950.