asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the estimated number of persons to have their betterment levy under the Land Commission Act remitted, on the basis that the concessions announced in the Budget are applied to acts or events prior to 5th April, 1969.

About 26,000 persons would have been relieved of liability to levy in whole or in part.

As the Government have admitted that this is unfair to some, why are they not prepared to back-date the position even further?

It is not for me to play the match again, but I appreciate the strong feelings that have been expressed on this subject. I understand that these matters of retrospection were exhaustively examined during the passage of the Finance Act.

Would my hon. Friend agree that no Government reshuffle could be complete without it including the Land Commission? [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] When will the Government get rid of this piece of bureaucratic nonsense and substitute a policy designed to take the profits from the friends of hon. Gentlemen opposite and put them into the pockets of those who wish to buy their own homes?

In so far as that supplementary question concerns the machinery of Government, it may be addressed elsewhere. In so far as it is a hard-headed practical question, I cannot be expected, after 48 hours, to pass judgment on it.