HL Deb 17 June 1907 vol 176 cc100-3
THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE

My Lords, in accordance with the notice standing in my name on the Paper I beg to ask His Majesty's Government for the following information relative to the Irish Land Purchase Fund created by Section 27 of the Irish Land Act, 1903—

  1. 1. What was the total amount on 31st May, 1907, of applications for advances indirect sales of estates to tenants, and offers accepted to sell estates; under Sections 6, 7, 8, and 79 of the Act, representing definite claims on the Fund from the commencement of the Act, and including paid cases.
  2. 2. What was the total amount on 31st May, 1907, of the sums lodged in bank or otherwise advanced in respect of the claims mentioned in Paragraph 1 above.
  3. 3. What was the total amount on 31st May, 1907, of the sums allocated or distributed (including moneys transferred by the Land Commission to the Land Judge's Court) in respect of the sums mentioned in Paragraph 2 above.
  4. 4. What was the total amount in cash placed to the credit of the capital account of the Irish Land Purchase Fund up to 31st May, 1907.
  5. 5. What was the total amount there of assigned to the capital account of the Irish Land Purchase Aid Fund under Section 47 of the Act, for the percentage ("the bonus") payable under Section 48.
  6. 6. What was the amount of the Irish Land Purchase Fund available for further advances on 31st May, 1907 (not including any balance then to credit of the Irish Land Purchase Aid Fund).

LORD DENMAN

My Lords, the Answers I have to give to the Questions of the noble Earl are as follows:(1) The total amount of applications for advances up to the 31st May last, in direct sales and under other sections of the Act, including paid cases, was £50,750,549; (2) the total amount lodged in the bank, or otherwise advanced, up to the date immediately preceding the 31st May, was £17,707,022; (3) the total amount allocated or distributed at the same date was £16,107,675, including £1,312,869 transferred to the Land Judge; (4) the total amount in cash placed to the credit of the capital account of the Irish Land Purchase Fund up to the 31st May, 1907, was £19,366,539; (5) the total amount of such cash assigned to the Land Purchase Aid Fund under Section 47 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, was £1,686,612; (6) the amount of the Irish Land Purchase Fund available for further advances on the 31st May, 1907, not including the balance to the credit of the Land Purchase Aid Fund, was £100,944.

LORD ASHBOURNE

My Lords, the matter given in the information supplied by the noble Lord will want consideration and examination. I have no doubt whatever that the figures are given in perfect good faith and with every desire to afford the fullest information, but it is obvious that off-hand their bearing cannot be entirely appreciated. The noble Lord will therefore not be surprised if later on the matter is looked into and possibly brought again to the attention of your Lordships. There is great anxiety to know how the priorities in which applications are dealt with are ascertained, and how the apportionment is given to the claims that may be put forward on behalf of direct sales as contrasted with others. I only refer to this matter in order to show that the figures supplied require examination by those who are deeply concerned in everything relating to this great purchase question. It is just as much a question of tenants as of landlords. It is admitted that the landlords suffer losses in the case of direct sales by reason of the great delays in the distribution of money after the contracts have been made. They get only 3½ per cent. interest, but they are liable to pay a much higher rate of interest on their encumbrances, and to many of them that is a matter of immense concern. It is also a serious matter for the tenants, for the longer the transaction remains uncompleted the greater is their loss.

LORD BARRYMORE

My Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether they propose to lay before Parliament a Return containing particulars of the cases in which persons have applied to the Irish Land Commission to be reinstated under the Irish Land Act, 1903, as evicted tenants, or as representatives of tenants who had been evicted; whether any such Return will be presented to both Houses of Parliament; and whether they can state the headings under which it may be proposed to furnish particulars of the cases. Since I placed this Question on the Paper, I have, through the courtesy of the Chief Secretary, ascertained that the Return is in process of production, and that we may shortly see it; but I hope the noble Lord who represents the Irish Office may now be able to inform me when we shall have an opportunity of seeing it and what the heads will be under which it is proposed to furnish the information.

LORD DENMAN

My Lords, as stated by the noble Lord a Return is being prepared by the Estates Commissioners and will shortly be laid before Parliament. I cannot give the noble Lord the actual date, but I am informed that on a very early day we shall be in a position to lay the Return on the Table. The classification will be as follows—(1) the number of applications according to county in which reinstatement is taking place or has taken place; (2) the number in which the Commission do not propose to take any action; (3) those in which they propose to reinstate evicted tenants in the event of suitable untenanted land being acquired. As the Return will shortly be laid on the Table, I hope the noble Lord will not press for further information on this matter at present.

LORD ASHBOURNE

My Lords, I quite agree that if there is to be a good and sufficient Return made soon it would be better to defer discussion until we see its contents; but, if the Return is to be confined to the very meagre subjects given under the three heads stated, I hope the matter will be reconsidered with a, view to giving something like real information. The matter has attracted immense attention, and a good deal more detailed information is required than that adumbrated by the noble Lord. It is not a statement of what counties they propose to deal with, or how many cases have been refused, or what kind of cases they intend to grant. But the Commissioners have granted a great many, and it is desired to know the dates on which they assented to a large number of applications, also the dates when the parties were evicted, whether all the parties reinstated are now in possession and whether the dates of those evicted come down to a later period than 1903, when the Act was passed. As there are other topics which suggest themselves for consideration, I hope the Return to be presented will be of a comprehensive nature.