§ Mr. GINNELLasked whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer has noticed that the excessive taxation of Ireland, estimated by the Financial Relations Commission at nearly £3,000,000 a year, has since been increased by £2,500,000, making the present taxation of Ireland about £5,500,000 a year more than its propor- 949 tionate share, and more than the entire government of Ireland would cost in Irish hands; and whether, in any future financial proposals, so long as the Act of Union is maintained, he will give Ireland the benefit of the exemptions and abatements to which she is entitled under that Act?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe Financial Relations Commission made no estimate of the absolute taxable capacity of Ireland. The only aspect of the question dealt with was that of relative taxable capacity as compared with Great Britain. On the basis of one-twentieth suggested in the Majority Report, the proper contribution of Ireland to the total revenue of 1908–9 would have been £7,073,000 as against an actual contribution of £9,250,000 or £2,177,000 less. The corresponding excess on the figures for 1895–6 was, as pointed out in the question, nearly £3,000,000. Thus, on the basis of the one-twentieth standard, the excessive taxation of Ireland has, instead of being increased by £2,500,000, as suggested in the question, actually been reduced by about £750,000 in the thirteen-year period. The latter part of the question touches upon a subject which is of far too controversial a nature for me to deal with in a reply to a Parliamentary question.