§ Sir WALTER MENZIESasked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the gross amount of loans for public works granted to Great Britain and Ireland respectively since 1st April, 1893, exclusive in the case of Ireland of land purchase transactions; what amount has been remitted or written off; what amount is still outstanding; and what gross amount of free grants has been given in each case?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEsubmitted the following figures:—
— Gross amount of loans advanced from 1st Apl., 1893. to 31st Mar., 1909. Amount of loans written off or remitted in same period. Net amount of loans outstanding. Netincrease(+) ordecrease(-) On 1st April. 1893. On 1st April, 1909. Great Britain. £ £ £ £ £ By Public Works Loan Board 55,020,217 109,533 25,362,533 49,641,194 +24,278,661 By Treasury for Light Railways 35,700 — — 35,700 +35,700 Total £ 55,055,917 109,533 25,362,533 49,676,894 +24,314,361 Ireland. By Board of Works 8,994,003 169,972 7,379,884 9,347,417 +1,967,533 By Public Works Loan Board 16,000 75,000 314,272 112,330 -201,942 By Irish Land Commission under Labourers Act, 1906 1,042,595 — — 1,042,549 +1,042,549 Total £ 10,052,598 244,972 7,694,156 10,502,296 +2,808,149 NOTE.—Of the loans referred to in the question, certain portions have been treated as free grants, in the sense of having been remitted or written off, as shown in the foregoing statement. No further free grant has been made in any of these cases, with the exception of certain light railways in Great Britain, which have received free grants in addition to loans. The loans made by the Fishery Board for Scotland to fishermen for building, purchasing, and repairing boats, and for purchase of fishing gear, have not been included in the statement, as such loans do not appear to be loans for public works within the meaning of the question. Loans made from the Irish Church Fund have also been omitted. Advances for land purchase in Ireland have been excluded from consideration.