48. Mr. MAN DERasked the Attorney-General if he will state whether it is the proposal of the Government that the dispute with the Irish Free State should be submitted to arbitration as a justiciable dispute on the basis of existing law or as a matter of equity ex æquo et bono?
The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas)I have been asked to reply. With regard to the Land Annuities, the offer made to Mr. de Valera was to submit the legal questions involved to arbitration of the nature envisaged in the report of the 1930 Imperial Conference. With regard to the other payments outstanding, I explained the position in my speech on the Second Reading of the Irish Free State (Special Duties) Bill when I gave to the House the sense of the despatch on this point which I had sent to Mr. de Valera the same day.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIn the event of there being any arbitration on matters 891 other than the Annuities, will care be taken to see that the items subsequent to the Treaty under which the Irish Free State benefited, as well as those which they allege they do not owe to this country, will be brought under review?