§ 18. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Prime Minister whether he can state, on the basis laid down by the Act of Union and by the Financial Relations Commission, respectively, what is the present taxable capacity of Ireland in relation to Great Britain?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Act of Union furnishes no basis on which profitable comparison can now be made. As regards the Financial Relations Commission, the general Report (signed by eleven of the thirteen members) states that whilst the actual tax revenue of Ireland is about one-eleventh of that of Great Britain, the relative taxable capacity of Ireland is very much smaller, and is not 1258 estimated by any of us as exceeding one-twentieth. "The separate Reports of different groups of members show, however, that there was no general consensus of opinion how relative taxable capacity should be ascertained, and I am not able to give any satisfactory estimate under existing circumstances.
Captain CRAIGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that since the Union Ireland was solvent, and that before the Union Ireland was bankrupt?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is rather a matter of opinion perhaps than of fact.