§ 51. Sir K. WOODasked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs when the Irish Free State last made a communication to the Government concerning the Irish Treaty or its position thereunder or its relations with this country; what was the nature of such communication; and what reply was made thereto?
§ Mr. LUNNThere has been official correspondence with His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State on several occasions with regard to particular articles of the Articles of Agreement of the 6th December, 1921. The most recent correspondence of this nature which has been brought to my notice is that concerning the interpretation of Article X regarding the compensation of transferred civil servants. This correspondence led up to the agreement which, it will be remembered, was discussed in this House in July during the Debates on the Irish Free State (Confirmation of Agreement) Act, 1929.
§ Sir K. WOODIs there anything in this correspondence which raises the question of the position of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council?
§ Mr. LUNNThe correspondence took place during the period of the late Government, and I am not at the moment in a position to answer as to the nature of the correspondence. I have answered the question as to what the correspondence was.