HC Deb 11 July 1910 vol 19 cc26-7
Mr. LONSDALE

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of the proceeds of the Whisky Duty received by the Irish Intermediate Education Commissioners in the years 1900, 1908, and 1909 respectively; the amount by which the Grant has been decreased as the result of the diminished proceeds of this duty; and the amount of the Grant which the Intermediate Board will receive in the year 1910 under his proposed scheme whereby the deficit in the yield of the Whisky Duty is to be made up from the proceeds of the Land Taxes.

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

The amounts received by the Irish Intermediate Education Commissioners under Section (3) of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890, were, in 1900, £71,400; in 1908, £49,504; and in 1909, £46,566. The amount has, therefore, decreased by £24,834 since 1900; and the total income of the Commissioners from all sources has declined in the same period by £20,581. I should explain that the amount received in 1909 was based on the yield of the Spirit Duties in 1908–9, i.e., before the increase of rate. As regards the last part of the question, if the hon. Member will refer to my Financial Statement, he will find that it is proposed as a temporary measure to allot to local authorities under the head of whisky money an amount equal to the amount received by them in 1908–9, instead of allocating to them half the Land Value Duties, the yield of which for the first year may be uncertain owing to the late date at which the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, came into force.

Mr. C. BATHURST

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the amount the local authorities received for the purpose of higher education in this year to which he referred, 1908–9, is the lowest amount which they have received since 1894–5, and whether, in view of that fact, he cannot apply a larger sum of public money towards higher education?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

There was a very steady decline in the receipts from the spirit revenue, and for that reason 1908–9 was the lowest, but there has been a decline of 3 per cent. going on steadily for years, but I will consider the question.

Mr. RYLAND ADKINS

Will he be willing to receive representations from the county and municipal authorities as to the proper average term of those years which are to be taken in view of the fact that the needs of higher education have been increasing very steadily, and of the lower revenue from the Whisky Duties?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

As my hon. Friend knows, I was pressed by the local authorities rather to make up the loss of the abnormal decrease of the Whisky Duties. That I have more than done, but this is quite a new proposal to put before me, but, of course, I shall always be glad to meet the local authorities to discuss any question of this kind.