– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 31 October 1949.
Mr George Drayson
, Skipton
12:00,
31 October 1949
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what increases he proposes to make or has made in the rents of farms belonging to the Duchy which are situated in the Bowland area of the Skipton Division.
Mr Hugh Dalton
, Bishop Auckland
The rents of 17 farms in this area have recently been reviewed. In twelve cases increases, averaging 30 per cent., have been agreed with the tenants: the remaining five cases have been referred to arbitration under the Agricultural Holdings Act. 1948.
Mr George Drayson
, Skipton
Is the Minister aware that typical of the five cases that have not been agreed is an increase of rent from £270 to £520 and from £680 to £1,030? Does he consider that those are reasonable increases of rent for the agricultural community at the present time? Has he discussed this matter with the Minister of Agriculture, and can farmers assume that the increases of rent are required to pay the increased salary of the Chancellor from £3,000 to £5,000 a year?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
I understood that the matter has been referred to arbitration.
Mr Ernest Marples
, Wallasey
Has the Chancellor borne in mind the difficulty in which some of these tenants may be placed as the result of the increases in rent if they have invested some of their money in "Daltons"?
The Chancellor - also known as "Chancellor of the Exchequer" is responsible as a Minister for the treasury, and for the country's economy. For Example, the Chancellor set taxes and tax rates. The Chancellor is the only MP allowed to drink Alcohol in the House of Commons; s/he is permitted an alcoholic drink while delivering the budget.
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