MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government will withdraw from the consideration of Parliament the Public Offices (Whitehall) Site Bill and the Patent Office Bill until after the proposed new Royal Commission on the Financial Relations between Great Britain and Ireland has reported, so that the House may have an opportunity of judging to what extent Ireland would be charged or chargeable with this expenditure, and what benefits, if any, will accrue to Ireland from such expenditure?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI do not think the Commission would throw light on the Question raised by the hon. Gentleman. But in any case, it would be impossible to accept the principle he desires to lay down, since, if followed to its logical conclusion, it would stop not only all expenditure of whatever kind for material purposes, but also any special expenditure for the benefit of Ireland.