Captain CRAIGasked the Prime Minister whether the funds proposed under the Development and Road Improvement Bill accruing to Ireland will be amalgamated with the Ireland Development Grant or will they be earmarked by the Treasury for the specific purposes for which they are granted; and, if so, can he state whether the Lord Lieutenant in Council or the Treasury will have the final word in the disposal of such grants?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs explained in the speech of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the second reading of the Bill, it is not intended that any fixed proportions of the respective funds should be specifically earmarked to particular portions of the United Kingdom, but that for the purposes of the Bill the United Kingdom should be treated as a whole. The new funds will be entirely independent of the Ireland Development Grant, and the machinery for making grants in respect of Irish services will be the same as that for services in Great Britain.
Captain CRAIGIs it not a fact that the taxation which will raise this Development Fund is in a fixed proportion between the various parts of the United Kingdom, and would the Government therefore not be prepared to allot a fair proportion from the Fund to Ireland?
§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the proposal of the hon. and gallant Gentleman is of a separatist character?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI cannot go into political arguments raised by supplementary questions. It is not intended to fix any fixed proportions in which the Development Grant shall be expended.
Captain CRAIGWould it not be possible under these circumstances for one part of the United Kingdom to get an. undue part of this Development Fund and another part not to get a fair share?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEPersonally, I think there are many people in this country who are already of the belief that one part of the country is already getting a larger share of grants than another.
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGMay I ask does the right hon. Gentleman refer to Wales?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo; I did not refer to any particular country by name.
§ Mr. CHARLES CRAIGBut the right hon. Gentleman said that many people-were of opinion that one part of the Kingdom got a larger share than another; may I ask to what part he did refer?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEYou may ask; I am not prepared to answer.
§ Mr. EUGENE WASONDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that it would be better for the proportions to be fairly divided among the different parts of the United Kingdom, including Scotland, so that each might gets its proper share?