§ 8. Mr. NEWMANasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Taxation that a simultaneous increase should be made to Ireland in the event of further assistance being granted from Imperial 1232 funds to the ratepayers of Great Britain, he will say whether, under the proposed Government of Ireland Bill, it is intended to stereotype the Grants-in-Aid at a fixed sum and to deprive the Irish ratepayer of any further relief voted from Imperial funds, while requiring the Irish taxpayer to contribute as an Imperial taxpayer his share of Grants in aid to British local taxation?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELWith the establishment of an Irish Parliament with large financial powers the system of Grants-in-Aid must necessarily be changed, though it would be, of course, within the competence of the Imperial Parliament in the future to make additions to the Transferred Sum should it be considered necessary to do so. As regards the suggestion in the question that the Irish taxpayer will be required to contribute his share of Grants-in-Aid of British local taxation, I would point out that since the revenue from Ireland is less than the cost of the government of Ireland, there can be no question of such a contribution so long as that financial condition prevails. When such deficiency no longer exists, the financial provisions of the Government of Ireland Bill are to be reviewed.