HC Deb 23 February 1931 vol 248 cc1895-6

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £5,000, he granted to His Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1931, for Expenditure in respect of Public Works and Buildings in Ireland.

Mr. LANSBURY

In this case, also, a reduction was made on the original Estimate, but the work has progressed so much quicker than we have expected that the sum deducted needed to be spent. The extra sum spent amounted to £10,000, but a portion of that expenditure has been saved, because we have recovered £2,000 in respect of agency services for the Government of Northern Ireland, rents, old materials, etc., and we get credit for £3,000 in respect of additional repayments in respect of services carried out under Section 34 (i) of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920.

Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSON

What is the reference to the additional repayments by the Government of Northern Ireland?

Mr. LANSBURY

Provision was made in the Estimates for a recovery of £23,955 from the Government of Northern Ireland, based upon an expenditure of £75,000. Owing to the necessity of increasing the Estimate to £85,000, that is, restoring the £10,000, the amount to be recovered will be increased by £3,000. That means that instead of recovering £23,855 we shall recover £26,855, and that is taken into account to reduce the sum of £10,000.

Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

I do not want to put any more strain on the right hon. Gentleman's voice, but there are one or two points on which I should like some information. What are the works to which reference is made in this Estimate? There is nothing to indicate what they are. After all, we in this Parliament are the dominant partner, and we ought to know something of what is done. Does the right hon. Gentleman get any information from Northern Ireland as to what is happening Does he exercise any control over this expenditure, or is he so completely satisfied with the manner in which the Northern Ireland Government carry out their duties—and I should not blame him for that—that he demands no further information?

Mr. LANSBURY

I am sorry that I did not mention earlier that the works are the new Supreme Court and public offices, which this Department is building for the Northern Ireland Government.

Resolutions to be reported To-morrow; Committee to sit again To-morrow.