§ Mr. CHARLES ROBERTSasked whether, in estimating Ireland's contribu- 1699 tion to Imperial purposes at £583,000 for the year 1908–9, not more than one quarter's payment on account of old age pensions was reckoned in; and what would have been the net loss to the Imperial revenue on Ireland in that year if the estimated cost of old age pensions for a whole year had been payable?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. If the pensions had been payable for the whole year additional taxation would have been necessary to meet the cost, and in the absence of any material for forming an estimate of what would have been the Irish contribution to such taxation, it is impossible to give a reply to the latter part of the question.