§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINasked whether the Government have offered to the Irish party any concessions in regard to the Budget as affecting Ireland?
§ The PRIME MINISTERPerhaps the right hon. Gentleman would await the statements to be made later in the afternoon by myself and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Mr. STEEL-MAITLANDasked the Prime Minister, in view of lines 63 to 74 of the Closure Resolutions on the Finance Bill, whether he will give early information to the House as to what additions to the Finance Bill, 1909, or substitutions for words or matter in that Bill, are contemplated by the Government?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe changes in the Finance Bill will be clearly shown by printing omitted matter in erased type, and underlining new matter in the Bill as circulated to the House. It will be circulated at the earliest moment possible, that is as soon as the Resolutions have been passed, and the Bill ought therefore to be in the hands of Members with Thursday morning's Papers.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman a question, of which I have given him private notice: Whether, in the special circumstances of the guillotine Motion which he is going to make, he could not at once lay on the Table a copy of the Bill as a Parliamentary Paper? Otherwise we shall have absolutely no time to consider the changes which the Government are going to make.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will consider that. I will issue it as a White Paper.
§ Viscount CASTLEREAGHasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has had any communication with the Member for the City of Cork with reference to the financial proposals contained in the Budget of 1909–10; and, if so, what is the purport of those communications?
§ Mr. STAVELEY-HILLasked what concessions have been offered to representatives from Ireland in respect of the Finance Bill, 1909–10?
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked whether it is the intention of the Government to relieve Ireland from the increased Spirit Duties, the Licence, Stamp and Succession Duties, and the Land Taxes (so far as they affect the property of Irish tenant purchasers), which were proposed in the Budget of 1909, and also from the proposed general revaluation; whether it is intended to submit proposals for enabling land purchase to proceed with the same rapidity and success as under the Purchase Act of 1903; 1709 and whether any conditions have been attached to the concessions agreed upon?
§ Mr. KERR-SMILEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he, on behalf of the Government, has expressed his willingness to exempt Ireland from the increased Spirit Duties, Brewery licences, Stamp and Succession Duties, and Land Taxes, so far as they affect the property of Irish tenant purchasers, which were proposed in the Budget of 1909, and also from the proposed general revaluation; and, if so, whether he can state if these exemptions will be made before the Budget is reintroduced?
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked whether it is the intention of the Government that the Budget of 1909–10 shall be passed without any alteration of its taxes or any changes, except such as may be required for purely revenue considerations?
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the Budget negotiations between himself and Nationalist representatives, it was suggested on either side that, in order to finance land purchase, money should be taken either from the Irish share of the old age pensions fund or the Grants to be made to Ireland under the Development Act?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEAll these questions relate to matters which there will be ample opportunity of discussing in the coming Debates, and I do not think it would be desirable to anticipate that discussion by attempting to deal with them by question and answer.
§ Viscount CASTLEREAGHMay I ask, Mr. Speaker, on a point of Order, whether the questions to which the Chancellor of the Exchequer refers are in order on the Debate which will ensue this afternoon?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think they will be open to discussion.