§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)asked the Assistant Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Do the Government intend to bring in legislation to enable tenants whose rents have been reduced by the Land Commissioners to ante-date the amount of the reduction so that it may operate from the commencement of their tenancies, or to recover it by way of set-off against arrears, or to make it an available asset in bankruptcy against the landlords' claim to rent; and, is it the fact that the total judicial reduction in the gross rental of Ireland amounts nearly to £1,000,000 per annum?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)Perhaps the hon. and learned Gentleman will allow me to answer it. [Mr. T. M. HEALY: No, no!] The Government have no intention of bringing in any legislation of the kind suggested, which would, in their opinion, be inequitable in principle and unworkable in practice. Full details regarding judicial rents are already before the House in printed form. I think, however, that the hon. and learned Member will, on referring to them, find that he has over-estimated the total amount of the reduction.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYasked if it was not the business of the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for the Isle of Thanet to answer such a Question?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt is the usual practice, when any question of policy is addressed to the Government, that it should be answered either by the Head of the Department or by the Leader of the House.