§ 34. Mr NEIL MACLEANasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the rate or 353 rates of interest charged by the Northern Ireland Government upon loans under the Loan Guarantee Act which are given to shipowners who place orders in Belfast shipbuilding yards?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hore-Belisha)The loans gauranteed by the Government of Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Loans (Guarantee) Acts do not appear to be publicly quoted, and I have no information as to the rates of interest at which they were issued.
§ Mr. MACLEANCannot the Chancellor of the Exchequer of this country obtain the information asked for in the question from the Government of Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHANo; that is a question which should properly be addressed to the Home Office. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible only for the finances of this country.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs there any truth in the statement that is made that the Government of Northern Ireland is in the position to place funds at the disposal of the shipbuilders of Belfast to the detriment of the rest of the shipbuilders of Great Britain?