§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state what is the amount a tenant-purchaser has to pay on each £100 of his purchase-money who has taken 253 decadal reductions under the Land Purchase Act of 1896 for the first ten years, second ten years, third ten years, fourth ten years, and remaining period; what is his percentage of reduction for each period; and what would his average payment be on each £100 during the whole period of seventy-two and a hall years.
§ MR. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given by my right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a Question asked by the hon. Member for West Kerry on 26th November. As stated in that Answer, advances to purchasers under the Act of 1896 were made in guaranteed stock, and the rate of accumulation of the Sinking Fund varies, under Treasury Rules, with the actual price of the Stock. It follows that the decadal reductions are also variable, and that the amount of such reductions cannot be stated until the actual period of revision arrives.