§ Mr. CHARLES PRICEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of the Grants made from the Development Fund for the years ending 31st March, 1911, 1912, and 1913, to England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively; and the total commitments made in each of these years from this fund to each of these respective countries?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAs regards the first part of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for East Mayo on the 22nd April last. As regards the latter part, I presume the hon. Member means by "commitments" explicit or implicit promises of future support. It is impossible to give more than a rough estimate o£ commitments in this sense, because in some important cases the Development Commissioners have agreed to schemes in principle, subject to the subsequent consideration of detailed Estimates and Plans. The commitments for 1910–11 and 1911–12 were, of course, very largely liquidated by the advances made in the following years: At the end of 1912–13 the Development Commissioners were substantially committed, subject to conditions varying in each case and generally to the financial position of the Development Fund being satisfactory, to advances to the following amounts approximately:—
England and Wales, annual sum, £170,000— capital, £320,000.
Scotland, annual sum, £25,000—capital, £200,000.
Ireland, annual sum, £26,000—capital, £220,000.
For more detailed information I may refer the hon. Member to the Annual Reports of the Development Commissioners.