§ Mr. WATTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the £1,600,000 which he expects to get from the new spirit duty this year will be payable by England, Scotland and Ireland respectively, calculated on the quantity of spirits consumed in the three countries?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe amounts, calculated in proportion to the quantities of spirit consumed in the three Kingdoms respectively, will be:—
§ Mr. MOONEYIs it the fact that the right hon. Gentleman stated in his Budget speech that the percentage of reduction anticipated would be 11 per cent., and whether, in view of the official figures given last year of the amount of spirits consumed in Ireland, he will state how he arrived at the figures which he has just given? It will not be 11 per cent., but nearly treble that amount.
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe hon. Member is entering on a question of estimate. That, of course, I shall be prepared to defend when the discussion comes on, but it is purely a question of what the abatement will be, owing to the reduction of consumption and other causes.
§ Mr. MOONEYThat is not my point. It is whether his estimate of 11 per cent. reduction on the official figures of last year would give the sum he named, or whether he took some figures not before this House, and of which the House has no knowledge?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEI am not quite sure I follow the hon. Member's point now. I have simply distributed the £1,600,000 between the three countries on the proportion of the present consumption.
§ Mr. MOONEYMay I ask whether the official figures show that the consumption in Ireland last year was, roughly speaking, £3,000,000 or £2,700,000, and whether 1½ per cent. reduction on that would not give treble the amount he has stated in estimating the amount for next year?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe hon. Member is asking me what the consumption was in Ireland. That I must have notice of. I cannot carry the figure of that sum in my mind.
§ Mr. KETTLEI would ask why it was found impossible in preparing the White Paper issued this morning to give a separate calculation of the yield of this new tax in Ireland. I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that we got at least a half promise from him the other day that he would have a separate calculation made as to the yield of these new taxes in Ireland. Why was not that done?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEIt is impossible to make a calculation. A good deal must depend upon the estimate. There are no figures which enable anyone to arrive at the actual figure of distribution.
§ Mr. KETTLEThis is a somewhat serious question. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a great many of the calculations made by the Treasury including that given to-day, an estimate of the taxable capacity of Ireland, are regarded by people who know this subject as not merely inaccurate but ludicrous.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is not a question, but a statement.