§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the exact amount at present of the Irish Church Surplus Fund over the demands now chargeable upon it.
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHI can only refer the hon. Member to the Treasury Memorandum—House of Commons Paper No. 293, of the Session of 1899—in which this subject was fully discussed. Nothing has happened in the last year to modify materially the figures and conclusions contained in that Paper.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENThe Government have been drawing on the fund for other purposes, and I want to know what the value of it is now.
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHThat is a question which cannot be answered. The surplus, whatever it is, is adequate for the purposes for which it is required.