§ 93. Mr. FIELDasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the percentage of war contracts given to Ireland for November last was only 1.68 and little more than three out of 200; whether these contracts are those made for ordinary manufactured supplies which are made in Ireland, exclusive of war material, imports, food, or forage; whether the taxation of Ireland is relatively about 5½ per cent., whilst the manufactured contracts amount to only 1½ per cent. or about a quarter of the contribution without taking into consideration the still smaller proportion of war material made in Ireland; and whether, under those circumstances, he will arrange to have the examining and receiving depot established in Dublin for stores and supplies?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am afraid that it would take some time to verify the figures given in the first part of my hon. Friend's question, but I have no reason to doubt that they are substanitally accurate. The statement in the second part of the question is correct. The point raised in the third part is hardly a matter for the War Department. As regards the last part, I regret I am unable to add anything to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on the 23rd of last month.