§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary whether the effect of paying the sum of £37,000 out of the Local Taxation Account in respect of the cost of maintenance of pauper lunatics for the three months ended 31st March, 1899, will be to still further deplete to that extent the income of the account remaining available for distribution to local authorities for medical and educational expenditure incurred by boards of guardians, for the salaries of sanitary officers in urban and rural districts, and for the maintenance of the insane poor in the past twelve months; and whether he can hold out any hope that the insufficiency of the account to meet its statutory liabilities will be made good in the present Session.
404W
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe sum of £37,000 referred to in the question was made good to the Local Taxation Account by the Exchequer by means of a Supplementary Vote in the year 1900, but was retained in the unexpended balance of the account and not paid over to local authorities. There can, therefore, be no further payment out of the Exchequer, and, as the claims payable in the current year exceed the whole amount standing to the credit of the account, the result of the payment of the £37,000 will be as stated by the hon. Member. I am not in a position at present to say whether the insufficiency of the account to meet its statutory liabilities can be made good in the present Session.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary if it is proposed by the Crown to appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Ireland upholding the decision of Mr. Justice Barton that the county and county borough councils were entitled to be paid out of the Local Taxation Account the cost of the maintenance of pauper lunatics in district asylums which accrued during the three months ended the 31st March, 1899; and, if not, what is the reason for the delay in making payment to these bodies?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is not proposed to appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Ireland. The payments cannot be made until all the accounts are received and audited.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary to state the terms of the order made by the Lord Lieutenant, pursuant to Section 58 (5) of the Local Government Act, 1898, directing an abatement of the payments to be made from the Local Taxation Account formed under that section.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe following is a copy of the Order referred to:—
"Aberdeen. Whereas the sums paid and payable under Section 58 of the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, to the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account in the financial year ending the 31st day of March, 1911, are insufficient to meet the sums payable thereout, in the said year under this Section, as amended by the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1902: Now, therefore, We the Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, in pursuance of the power vested in Us by Sub-Section (5) of the said 58th Section, and of every other power Us thereto enabling, do hereby order and direct that the sums payable out of the Account 405W during the said year ending the 31st day of March, 1911, shall be proportionately abated, having regard to the insufficiency aforesaid. Given at His Majesty's Castle of Dublin, the 10th day of September, 1910.—J. B. DOUGHERTY."