§ MR. LOUGHI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state on what Votes the unexpended balance of £718,136 7s. 11d. arose on Irish Votes during the last ten years; whether this sum is placed to the credit of any Irish account so that it may be available for Irish purposes, and if not, what has become of this money; and whether, beyond the above amount during the last ten years, there have been any savings from the Votes for the Post Office, Revenue Departments, or other Votes of a general character on the amounts stated in the annual Returns as having been expended in Ireland; and, if so, what is the additional amount of these savings and to what purposes have they been applied.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe aggregate surrender includes surpluses on all the Irish Votes. The unexpended balances on Irish Votes are treated in the same way as similar balances on English and Scotch Votes—that is to say, they go in reduction of the total charge against revenue, and if, as the result, the revenue exceeds the expenditure for the year, the surplus is by statute applied to the Old Sinking Fund in reduction of debt. The amounts shown in the Financial Relations Returns as expended on Irish Account are not based on the voted grants, but on the issues made from the Exchequer to meet actual expenditure, so far as it can be ascertained.
§ MR. LOUGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his predecessor said that any savings effected in these Irish Votes would be applied solely to Irish purposes?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI am not aware of anything in that direction at all. Which predecessor does my hon. friend mean?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI do not think he could have made a statement in such wide general terms. Ireland is treated in this matter exactly as England and Scotland are.
§ MR. MOONEY (Dublin County, S.)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will grant a Return showing how the amount of £718,136 7s. 11d. returned by him as the amount of unexpended balances surrendered to the Imperial Exchequer by the Irish Government in the last ten years is made up, giving the various heads and the amount under each head.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThese figures are published every year. They appear in the column headed "Surpluses" in the "Abstract Statement showing the Appropriation of Grants" which is appended to the annual Reports of the Public Accounts Committee.