HC Deb 23 July 1894 vol 27 cc659-60
MR. T. M. HEALY

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what is the total amount of arrears due by Irish landlords to the Crown for quit-rents, and what steps are being taken to collect them; could a return be given of the estates on which quit-rent is owing, and the amount in each case; and, where can a view be obtained of the income from Irish quit-rents paid to the Crown, and the arrears in each year since the Union?

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) Oldham

The total amount of arrears due to the Crown for quit-rents at March 31st, 1894 (exclusive of a gale which accrued due only on the 24th of that mouth, and does not appear in the accounts till the following year), is £14,275 16s. 10d. Exclusive of a portion of this sum, which the Commissioners of Woods deem irrecoverable, the arrears consist partly of those not more than one year in arrear, which are being dealt with by the local collectors who are officers of Inland Revenue, and partly of those in arrear for more than a year in respect of lands, houses in towns, and fairs and markets, which are being dealt with at the Quit Rent Office, Dublin, and by the collectors. The publication of the information indicated in paragraph 2 of the question would be a new departure, and in the opinion of the Commissioners of Woods an undesirable one. I may, however, mention that since March 31st, 1890, there has been a reduction of about £14,000 in the amount of arrears, of which £3,771 was written off. The quit-rents were placed under the management of the Commissioners of Woods in 1827 by the Act 7 & 8 George IV., c. 68, and from that period till now the accounts of the Commissioners of Woods contain the income and arrears. Since 1853 the information has been given in the annual Reports of the Commissioners of Woods in a convenient form.

MR. T. M. HEALY

said, the point he wanted to know was how much of the quit-rent annually the Irish landlords had refused to pay, and whether in the sum of £14,275 was included the irrecoverable arrears in each case?

SIR J. T. HIBBERT

said, he was unable to answer that question offhand, but he would endeavour to obtain the information required. The sum of £14,275 certainly included the arrears that were irrecoverable.

MR. CARSON (Dublin University)

May I ask whether these quit-rents will be payable in priority to the Estate Duties?

SIR J. T. HIBBERT

I am unable to answer that question.