§ MR. McCRAE (Edinburgh, E.)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Chancery Fund Annuities, amounting to £2,324,516 a year, and the Converted Annuities, amounting to £684,000 a year, expire in 1906; and if it is proposed to follow the precedent of 1884 by creating fresh annuities for the purpose of cancelling an equivalent capital amount of Consols.
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS (for Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN)The Annuities in question will expire in the course of next year. I cannot anticipate the arrangements to be made in future Budgets.
§ *MR. McCRAEIs it not necessary for the Government to proceed by legislation previous to the time the annuities expire?
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLASasked for notice of that Question.