§ Mr. KETTLEWill the right hon. Gentleman give an estimate of the anticipated yield of the proposed new taxes in Ireland?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe Irish contributions to the additional revenue which the increased rates of duty upon spirits and tobacco, the additional liquor licence duties, and stamp duties are estimated to produce will be approximately as follows:—
The burden which will be imposed upon Irish taxpayers by the other additional taxes and the new taxes cannot be ascertained with any pretence to accuracy, but upon such data for calculating it as I have been able to obtain I do not think it can exceed £160,000, and it will probably fall considerably short of that figure. The total Irish contribution to the new revenue, estimated to amount to £14,200,000, is, therefore, not likely to exceed £640,000, or about 4½ per cent. The Irish contribution to existing tax revenue is about 6½ per cent.
Under spirits … £169,000 Under tobacco … 180,000 Under liquor licences … 104,000 Under stamp duties … 26,000 Total under the four heads … £479,000
§ Mr. KETTLEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman, having regard to the answer he gave to Question No. 62, put by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Islington, would he discriminate between Great Britain and Ireland? The right hon. Gentleman asked for a detailed estimate of the product of the new taxes.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI will see what can be done in that matter, if the hon. Gentleman wants anything beyond the analysis which I have promised to give in answer to the question of my right hon. Friend. If the hon. Member wants this put in a document which I have promised in reply to the question of my right hon. Friend I will do my best to have it done.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe right hon. Gentleman's interruption I think is scarcely fair, and I will tell him why: I have answered every question put to me from every quarter of the House—[Cries of "No!"] Will hon. Gentlemen wait until my sentence is finished? I have answered every question put to me from every quarter of the House about estimates. The only questions I have deprecated being put to me across the floor of the House are questions in regard to the details of the Finance Bill, which has not yet been introduced.
§ Mr. A. CHAMBERLAINMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has read Questions 55, 59, and 60, which he has refused to answer?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEHere again the right hon. Gentleman cannot have followed the proceedings. The moment the Noble Lord the Member for the Chorley Division called my attention to the fact that Question 55 was in a different category from the rest, I promised to get him the figures and supply them in the course of the afternoon.
§ Mr. A. CHAMBERLAINWill the right hon. Gentleman now give the same undertaking in regard to Questions 59 and 60?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI have given the right hon. Gentleman the only possible estimate which anybody can make.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEWill the right hon. Gentleman just wait until I complete my answer. I have given the only estimate that any Department can give, and he ought to know it above anybody. The only estimate that any Department can make is an estimate of the expenditure within the current year.
§ Mr. KETTLEMay I ask if the Chancellor of the Exchequer is aware that the detailed figures such as he has promised to furnish are required to be furnished to the House by the spirit and the terms of the Act of Union to which the Leader of the Opposition is so sincerely attached?
§ Mr. EUGENE WASONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if, when he prepares the Return promised in answer to the question put by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Islington, he will set out the figures for Scotland in the same way?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGECertainly, if the information is available. I would point out to the hon. Member—[Cries of "Address the House."] I must answer the hon. Gentleman. [Cries of "Address the House."] I will answer the question put by my hon. Friend behind me.
§ Mr. SPEAKERMay I suggest that the right hon. Gentleman might also turn towards the reporters?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe hon. Member has asked me a question with regard to giving a Return showing an analysis of the figures with regard to Scotland. There is this undoubted difficulty with regard to Scotland which does not exist in the case of Ireland. In the case of Ireland there has been prolonged investigation of the financial relations existing between the two countries, and there are two or three definite principles which have been laid down as the result of the Report, and therefore it is much easier to ascertain the proportions of the figures in the case of Ireland than in the case of the other countries. It is exceedingly difficult in the case of the other countries to do so, because up to the present there have been no official principles laid down to separate and distinguish the finance of the three countries.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYMay I ask my right hon. Friend if he will add particulars showing the incidence of the new taxes on the different classes of the community?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI would suggest that the rest of this Debate should be taken when the Debate on the Budget Resolutions is resumed.