52. MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEasked whether the deficit of £1,500,000 upon Irish internal finance, which it is proposed under the Government of Ireland Bill to be a perpetual charge against Great Britain, will be borne by Scotland and England jointly pro rata; and whether, in the general scheme of Home Rule all round adumbrated by His Majesty's Government, Scotland will have to bear not only a share of the internal cost of Irish Home Rule but also a share of Irish Imperial administration, as well as all its own expenses under Home Rule, or is it intended for England to bear the whole of the Irish charge?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Bill does not propose to make the existing deficit a perpetual charge on the Exchequer of the United Kingdom. As regards the period while a deficit still exists, the effect of the Bill is that the deficit will continue, as at present, to be charged to the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, into which all Imperial taxes levied in England, Scotland, and Ireland will continue, as at present, to be paid. A regards the latter part of the question, the matters referred to will fall to be determined by Parliament when the time comes.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEHave the financial details of Irish Home Rule been arrived at without any consideration of future Home Rule for Scotland; and if that is not the case, is Home Rule for Scotland merely a political delusion?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe answer to both of the Noble Lord's questions is in the negative.
§ Mr. HEWINSWill the Government lay-down any principles for the guidance of the Joint Exchequer Board in making this very abstruse calculation?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThat is a matter rather for debate upon the Bill than for an answer across the floor of the House.
Captain CRAIGWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to give us a proper 461 amount of time to debate it on the Bill? How can we debate it on the Bill when you have closured us?