§ MR. H. H. MARKS (Kent, Thanet)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that the Irish Council Bill is not to be proceeded with, he will consider the possibility of devoting the sum which would have been payable to Ireland by the Exchequer under that Bill to the fund, the nucleus of which is provided in the present year's Budget, for the purpose of old age pensions; and, if not, can he say to what purpose, if any, he intends to devote the sum which the change in the Government's programme will place at his disposal.
§ MR. ASQUITHNo part of the sum in question would in any event have been a charge upon the revenue of the current financial year. I cannot at this date anticipate next year's Budget statement.