§ MR. GINNELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can state the gross amount of loss incurred by the Congested Districts Board, the Land Commission, and the Estates Commissioners, under the statutory powers allowing loss in the purchase and re-sale of estates, so far as now completed; the gross amount spent improving these estates, restoring them and the people on them to economic conditions, and generally in reversing the policy of their late owners; the gross increase in the price of such estates purchased since the 1st April, 1903, as compared with the average price of those purchased before that date; and, if this latter is not included under either of the preceding headings, by how much does the total expenditure exceed the net value of the estates in question before purchase.
MR. BRYCEIt would not be possible, within the limits of an Answer to a Question, to give the statistical information asked for or to discuss the problems which apparently are intended to be raised. The last annual Reports of the Congested Districts Board and the Estates Commissioners contain all the information on the subject then available, and further similar information will be 951 contained in future annual Reports. I am informed that, in addition, the Congested Districts Board have afforded information on the subject to the Royal Commission on Congestion now sitting, and this information will, doubtless, be published in due course.