§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the amount of cash revenue derived from Great Britain and from Ireland, respectively, in the latest completed financial year; what this amounts to per head of the estimated population; how much per head the taxes on all dutiable commodities amount to in Great Britain and in Ireland, respectively; what the cost of civil government has been in the same year in Great Britain and in Ireland, respectively; and how much this amounts to per head of the population?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHSuch calculations can readily be made from the figures given in the Financial Relations Returns (H. of C. papers 233 and 234 of 1910), but if they were made as suggested on the basis, on the revenue side, of cash receipts in Great Britain and Ireland respectively, I fear the results would be misleading.
§ Mr. GINNELLIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Financial Relations Committee discussed the financial relations on that basis?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHNo, Sir, I am not aware of that.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked whether the Return on Ireland's Financial Relations, of which notice stands on the Order Paper, will be granted; and, if not, what are the reasons?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)The Committee has been appointed to advise the Cabinet, and it is not proposed to grant the Return referred to.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Prime Minister, having regard to the rights and interests of every section of the Irish population in Ireland's financial relations, and the distrust of the committee appointed to investigate that subject for the sole benefit of the Cabinet, if he is now in a position to say whether any Irish representative person or body has expressed approval of the ex parte and secret character of that committee either before its formation or since?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)I cannot add anything to the numerous replies already given to the hon. Member on this subject.
§ Mr. GINNELLHave the Irish people any right at all with regard to the taxation of the people, and, if so, why is it not given effect to in the composition of this committee?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is not a question of representation at all. It is simply a committee that has ben constituted to obtain information for the Government.