§ 55. Mr. COMPTONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, seeing that under the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, the Government of Northern Ireland is liable to pay to the British Treasury 44 per cent, of £18,000,000 per annum and that in the first four years a sum amounting only to £17,006,465 has been paid, he will state what steps he proposes to take to recover the balance of £14,673,535 due to his Department during this period?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension as regards the provisions of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920. Under Section 23 of that Act, as amended by paragraph 4 of the First Schedule to the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922, the contribution to be made by the Government of Northern Ireland towards Imperial liabilities and expenditure is subject to revision by the Joint Exchequer Board. The contributions specified in the last paragraph of my reply of the 24th March have been made in accordance with the decisions of the Board, and no such balance as is suggested is now due.