§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland when the Government propose to introduce a Bill to amend the Charitable Loan Societies (Ireland) Act, 1843, in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee of Inquiry which reported in 1897, and with the repeated recommendations of the Loan Fund; Board; and why no such Bill has been introduced by the Government since the Committee reported in 1897.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (MR. G. W. BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)The general policy to be adopted in connection with the Loan Fund system is a matter requiring very careful consideration, and I am not prepared to say when, or on what lines, it may eventually be dealt with by the Government. In the meantime, the new rules issued by the Loan Fund Board embody many of the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry. A Bill was also introduced last year, and has been re-introduced this year, for the purpose of meeting the most pressing of the difficulties and hardships of the present position so far as legislation is required, and I trust we may have the assistance of the hon. Member in passing it speedily into law.
§ MR. DILLONIs it not the fact that the Loan Fund Commissioners have repeatedly reported for years that it is not possible to remedy these abuses without legislation?
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURSome of these abuses are dealt with in the Bill.
§ MR. DILLONI shall prove it.