HC Deb 11 July 1893 vol 14 cc1285-6
MR. GOSCHEN

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, with reference to the last Irish balance sheet set out in Return No. 280, on what principle Miscellaneous Receipts are to be excluded from the Irish Revenue, of which one-third is to be taken as the contribution of Ireland to Imperial purposes; and whether such exclusion gives Ireland an advantage of £46,000 as compared with what the contribution would have been if the third had been taken on the Irish Revenue as a whole?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE, Edinburgh, Midlothian)

There are two reasons for accepting the view of the Government. In the first place, the Revenue is the Revenue under the control, according to the Bill, of the Irish Legislature, and may be regulated by Irish Acts, whereas the Revenue on which the Vote was discharged was the Revenue regulated entirely by Act of Parliament. The second reason is that the Miscellaneous Receipts are in the nature of fees or payments for services rendered by Irish Departments for sums realised in the course of administration. It seems, therefore, reasonable that the Irish Exchequer, which is to bear the entire cost of administration, should have the exclusive benefit of the sums proceeding from such sources. In point of fact, these are in the nature of Appropriations in Aid.

MR. GOSCHEN

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in the Miscellaneous Receipts which are thus excluded from the Irish Revenue, there are not included a sum of £7,600 on account of the Irish Constabulary, the cost of which is borne to the extent of one-third by the Imperial Government; and further receipts by the Revenue Department and the Post Office and Telegraph Service which will still remain under Imperial control; and, if so, whether such Revenue would not be excluded from the doctrine which the right hon. Gentleman laid down, and be proper Revenue to be divided? Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will make further inquiries. I cannot, of course, expect him to be familiar with all details.

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

I shall be glad to have notice.

MR. SEXTON

Is it not a fact that Ireland contributes her proportion of Imperial charges, and yet there is withheld from her any proportion of the Miscellaneous Receipts by the Imperial Revenue not derived from either England or Scotland?

MR. W. E. GLADSTONE

I must also ask for notice of that.