§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can have a Return prepared showing the surpluses from Irish Votes surrendered to the Treasury since the passing of the Land Act, 1903, and setting forth the effect of the finance provisions of the said Act; and what would be their effect if those savings were placed against the losses of the Treasury instead of being used in the reduction of the National Debt.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) I have already explained, in answer to the hon. Member's Question on the 2nd instant, that the mere fact of the expenditure on a voted service being less than it has been estimated to be does not necessarily ensure that any money is thereby set free for application to another purpose. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by instituting a comparison between the savings on Irish Votes and the deficiencies on the Irish Land Purchase Fund.