§ MR. GOSCHENI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to the Irish balance sheet set out in Return No. 280, whether the reduction in the Civil Government charges for Ireland from £3,210,000, at which they were estimated in Return No. 91, to £3,123,000, the estimate accepted in Return No. 280, is entirely due to the latter being based on the actual expenditure of 1892–3, while the former were only based on estimates, or whether any part of such reduction is due to any re-classification of items between British and Irish expenditure?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTThe difference of £87,000 in the computed Civil Government charges for Ireland in 1892–3 is mainly due to the fact that the amount at which these charges were given in Return 23, dated February 24,1893, was necessarily based on the estimated Exchequer issues for the year, while the amount given in the later Return No. 280, dated June 22, 1893, is based on the actual Expenditure for the year. But some deductions have been made, which are partly consequential on the amended scheme—that is to say, inasmuch as the Postal and Inland Revenue Services would, under the new clauses, remain Imperial, and would not have to be met by the Irish Government, the postal charges borne on Civil Estimates (£20,000) have been added to the total computed expenditure in Ireland on postal account, and the Inland Revenue expenses met out of Irish Civil Votes (£5,000) are, like the other Inland Revenue expenses, no longer to be charged against Ireland. Moreover, the Civil Government charges given in both the Returns in question include the charges met out of Local Taxation Revenue assigned to Ireland. Those charges, as my right hon. Friend is aware, depend on the amount of that Revenue; and consequently, as the Estimate of that Revenue was not realised by about £20,000, the Civil Government charges have been further diminished on this account.