§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received a memorial from the Irish Automobile Club, praying that the proposed 399 taxation on motor cars and duty on petrol be not imposed in Ireland; when was a tax last levied upon cars in Ireland, and what percentage of the estimated revenue by the taxes stated is Ireland calculated to produce; will this whole matter be considered so that Ireland may not be unfairly taxed as it is at present proposed, owing to the different conditions prevailing in the two countries, such as the poverty of the people, cost of getting motors into the country, dearness of petrol, and the expense of upkeep owing to bad roads?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI have received the memorial to which the hon. Member refers. As I explained in my Budget speech, there has not hitherto been a tax in Ireland on motor-cars, though prior to 1823 duties were leviable upon carriages. I cannot, on my present information, give a precise estimate of the proportion of the revenue from the new motor car licences which will be derived from Ireland. But, after careful consideration of the whole matter, I fear I cannot agree with the hon. Member that there are sufficient grounds for exempting the owners of motor cars in Ireland from the proposed new tax.
§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is an Act of Parliament passed in 1823 which lays down that no carriage tax shall henceforth be leviable on Ireland, and that that Act has never been repealed?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI am quite prepared to take that fact from my hon. Friend, but these taxes which I have levied are not for the purpose of general taxation, but purely for the expenditure on the roads. Ireland will, of course, get a share of it for the purpose of improving the roads, and if Ireland wishes to be exempted from the tax. I should like to know my hon. Friend's view as to whether he would like Ireland to be exempted or not from the benefit?
§ Mr. JOHN REDMONDAre we to understand that the entire tax levied in Ireland will be given back to Ireland for use on the roads, and will it be expended by an Irish authority or a central authority in England?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEAs to the second part of the question I should like to have notice. In regard to the first, I should be very much surprised, from what I know of the condition of the roads in Ireland, if a 400 larger proportion is not demanded for Ireland than for any other part of the country.
§ Mr. WILLIAM MOOREIf the right hon. Gentleman cannot go the whole way, will he consider between this and the bringing in of the Bill whether he can give a rebate to medical men using motors in medical work as in the case of the commercial men in Ireland?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThere are several questions in regard to that. As the hon. Gentleman knows very well, medical men are getting a rebate under my proposals.
§ Mr. WILLIAM MOOREOnly on the tax, not on the petrol.
§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will favourably consider in the direction of remitting entirely the petrol and motor taxes in the case of Irish dispensary doctors who use their private motors for the more speedy and efficient discharge of their professional duties in relieving the suffering poor under their care?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEAs at present advised I do not think there are sufficient grounds for granting doctors further concessions in addition to the rebate, which I have already proposed, of half the licence duty on their motor-cars.
§ Mr. HUGH BARRIEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received representations from veterinary surgeons urging that their profession should receive the same rebate on petrol as he proposes to allow to the medical profession; and whether he proposes to grant their request?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI have not proposed to allow the medical profession a rebate upon the petrol used by them. As I have already explained to the House, I do not see my way to extend to veterinary surgeons the rebate of half the licence duties allowed to doctors on their motorcars.
§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the petrol used on the average by medical men will amount to something like £12 a year?