§ Mr. Laboucherewished to ask the right hon. Baronet, whether he was prepared to answer the question which he had put to him a few nights ago, respecting the importation of flour into Ireland.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, by the existing law the importation of flour into Great Britain was permitted under certain conditions, but it was wholly prohibited in Ireland. The question asked by the right hon. Gentleman was whether or not that prohibition ought in his opinion to continue. He had looked at the question since the right hon. Gentleman had asked for an answer. He knew that the Members for Ireland felt a great interest in the subject, so much so that in the course of last Session a bill of the right hon. Gentleman was mainly opposed on the ground that there ought to be no partial alteration of the law. He felt bound to state, in reply to the right hon. Gentleman, that in revising the whole system of laws regulating the importation of corn, he could not maintain that exemption of Ireland which existed under the present law. Ireland was an exporting country of flour, and he did not see why there should be any special regulation with regard to it. He, therefore, thought that in any revision of the Corn-laws Ireland ought to be placed on a footing with this country.