§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the arguments for an increased grant in excess of the Supplemental Estimate put forward on behalf of the Irish Lunatic Asylum Boards by the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly and others, and whether an opportunity for discussing the Supplementary Estimate will be afforded.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.)I have considered the arguments put before me in this matter. I understand that it was suggested that some payment in excess of the Supplementary Estimate should be made for the first financial year of the new system, because the licences taken out in the previous year covered part of that year, and the payments for licences during that year were in many cases not made until a considerable part of it had expired. But this view was based on a misconception of the fifty-eighth section of the Act of 1898, which provided, not that the sum paid for licences in the first financial year of the new system should be paid to the Local Taxation Account, but that a sum equal to the amount collected for such licences in the previous financial year should be so paid—and this payment will be made to the Local Taxation Account early in the financial year, certainly not later than May. I do not, therefore, consider that there is any ground for the request for an increased grant. I will convey to the Leader of the House the suggestion of the hon. and learned Gentleman that some opportunity should be afforded for discussing the Supplementary Estimate. But I can make no statement on that matter myself.