Mr. FRED HALL(Dulwich) asked whether it will be open to the Irish Parliament to discontinue or alter the payment of old age pensions when the time arrives under the Government of Ireland Bill, if passed for the transfer of that service to Irish control, if the revenue is not then sufficient to meet the expenditure entailed thereby?
§ Mr. BIRRELLSubject to the rights of existing pensioners at the time of the transfer it would be open to the Irish Parliament to discontinue or alter the rate of future pensions irrespective of the state of the Irish revenue.