DESTITUTE PERSONS (IRELAND).

HC Deb 14 July 1847 vol 94 cc322-3

On the question that the Destitute Persons (Ireland) Bill be read a Second Time,

MR. G. A. HAMILTON

said, he would take the opportunity of asking the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for the Home Department the question of which he had given notice, namely, the amount received under the Queen's Letter in the different churches in the United Kingdom, for relief of distress in Ireland, and through whom that amount had been distributed?

SIR G. GREY

said, that the total amount collected under the Queen's Letter for the relief of distress in Ireland and Scotland was 170,533l. 16s. 2d. This was exclusive of a Bill for 1,000l., remitted by the Bishop of Calcutta, which would not become due until the 10th of September. The sum of 170,000l. had been paid over (as the Government had stated it was their intention to do) to the Committee of the British Association for relief of the distress, and had been by them applied to the objects for which it was collected. The sum of 209l. had been paid over to the Paymaster of Civil Services for expenses incurred by that officer, and there was a sum of 324l. now in the Bank. In addition to the sum of 170,000l. paid under the Queen's Letter, the Committee of the British Association had themselves received in subscriptions the sum of 254,754l., making a total of 424,764l. This sum was exclusive of other channels, through which very liberal and munificent donations had been sent for the relief of Irish distress.

Bill read a second time.

Adjourned at half-past Four.