§ Mr. NEWMANasked whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer's attention has been drawn to the fact that the price of Two-and-Three-Quarter per Cent. Irish Guaranteed Land Stock has during the past week fallen to the price of Government Two-and-a-Half per Cent. Consolidated Fund; and whether, in view of the loss caused to the Irish taxpayer and ratepayer and the difficulty and delay in issuing sufficient Land Stock to finance sales already entered into, he will ensure that the question of land purchase finance be fully dealt with by the commission appointed to report on the future financial relations between Ireland and the Imperial Exchequer?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAn examination of the Stock Exchange quotations does not appear to bear out the statement made in the first part of the question. On the contrary, the closing price of Guaranteed Two-and-Three-Quarter per Cent. Stock was on Friday last 1i points above that of Consols—a greater difference than the average of the last five years. The question of Irish land purchase finance will, I presume, engage the attention of the Financial Relations Committee now sitting.