§ MR. O'DOHERTY (Donegal, N.)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can say whether he has received a copy of a resolution from the Northern Law Society in Ireland protesting against the continuance of the licence duty payable by solicitors in Ireland; if so, whether it is his intention to abolish this tax; and, if not, why.
§ MR. O'DOHERTYTo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can say whether he has received a memorial from the council of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, praying that the annual duties payable by solicitors in Ireland, under the provisions of the Stamp Act of 1891, be abolished from and after the 5th day of January, 1908; and whether he proposes to take steps to do So.
§ MR. VINCENT KENNEDY (Cavan, W.)To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been called to a resolution from the Northern Law Society of Ireland praying for the abolition of the licence duty payable by 933 solicitors; and, if so, will he consider the advisability of removing this tax which is not paid by any other profession.
(Answered by Mr. Asquith.) I have received the memorial and the resolution referred to, and I have given careful consideration to the arguments advanced in favour of the abolition of this licence duty. Nothing has, however, been urged against the duty which is not in my opinion equally applicable to many other licence duties of a more or less similar character, nor is there any sufficient reason for treating Ireland differently as regards this matter from other portions of the United Kingdom. I do not, therefore, see my way to taking any steps unless and until an opportunity arises of revising local taxation licences as a whole.