§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary if he will state the total amount of rates levied in 1914–15, and the total amount estimated for 1915–16, respectively, by each administrative body in Ireland empowered to levy rates, with the amount of increase or decrease in each case and for the whole of Ireland?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI find that the information asked for by the hon. Member could only be obtained by circularising the various local Rating Authorities and imposing on them and on the Local Government Board labour in the preparation and analysis of the figures, which would, in my opinion, be disproportionate to the value of the Return, especially as any deductions made from a comparison of actual expenditure in one year with estimated expenditure in the next would be necessarily misleading. In these circumstances I regret I am unable to give the information.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary if he will state, in respect of each county, county borough, and other administrative body in Ireland from which deductions have been made from grants in aid of local rates owing to the insufficiency of the income of the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account, and owing to all the causes connected with land purchase for each of the five last completed financial years and for the whole period, with the total for all Ireland; and, if an inquiry is being held into the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account, will he say by whom, when set up, and when the report may be expected?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is impossible to give the information asked for by the hon Member within the limits of a Parliamentary answer, but I hope to send him tables on the subject in the course of a few days. The total deductions made in respect of the liability in question for the five years amounted to £38,591 3s. A Departmental Committee was appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1911 to inquire into the changes that had taken place in the relations of Imperial and local taxation since the report of the Royal Commission in 1901, and to make recommendations with a view to legislation, but the Committee has not so far issued any report in regard to Ireland.