§ Mr. LAMBERTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the latest available year, the receipts from and the payments to Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State, respectively, together with the payment in respect of land purchase annuities?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEPayments made by His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State during the financial year 1929 in respect of their liability to His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom for Royal Irish Constabulary and other pensions, etc., for repayment of various advances, and for654W compensation for damage to property amounted to about £2,250,000. Similar payments from the Government of Northern Ireland for Royal Irish Constabulary and other pensions, etc., and for repayment of advances were effected by deduction from the Residuary Share of Reserved Taxes and amounted to rather more than £450,000. In addition, His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State paid during the same period a sum of approximately £3,000,000 into the Irish Land Purchase Fund, together with a sum of £134,500 in respect of interest and sinking fund on bonus and excess stock issued under the Irish Land Acts. Payment by the Government of Northern Ireland into the Irish Land Purchase Fund of the annuities arising out of sales of land made prior to the "appointed day" has been remitted by Section 26 of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920. As regards land purchase in Northern Ireland since the "appointed day," while this remains a "Reserved Service" under the Government of Ireland Act, the cost is wholly met from Northern Ireland funds, by means of deductions from the Residuary Share of Reserved Taxes, and gives rise to no inter-Governmental payments. The Northern Ireland contribution towards Imperial Expenditure for the financial year 1929 has been provisionally fixed at £600,000. The payments to Northern Ireland for the financial year 1929 were as follow:
£ Provision of buildings (Government of Ireland Act, Section 34) 191,000 Equalisation of burden of Unemployment Insurance (Unemployment Insurance (Northern Ireland Agreement) Act, 1926) 335,000 £526,000 No payments of any substantial amount were made by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State during the year in question.