§ MR. GRAYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Why the annual Return, containing the details of the receipts and expenditure of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, presented to the House pursuant to Act of Parliament, up to 1869, has been discontinued; whether there is, since the discontinuance of such Return, any means open to the public, or Members, of ascertaining those details of receipts and expenditure; and, whether in English cities the police courts are partly maintained out of local funds, as as they appear to be in Dublin, according to the Return of 1869?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERSir, the reason why the Return alluded to in the first part of the hon. Gentleman's Question has been discontinued is that a new system of accounts was established in 1868 by the Treasury, under the control of the Public Accounts Commissioners. Since then the total cost of the establishment is voted by Parliament, and the amount of local income or extra receipts is paid over to the Exchequer. Full details of expenditure are given in the annual volume of Criminal and Judicial Statistics of Ireland, and in the Appropriation Accounts. For example, if the hon. Member will refer to page 228 of Appropriation Accounts, 1876–77, he will find a detail of the expenditure. If he will refer to page 106 of "Judicial Statistics" volume for 1876, he will find further particulars as to expenditure. The details as to local receipts are given in the volume of local taxation statistics, presented annually to Parliament. With respect to English cities, I understand that with the exception of the metropolis the police courts are maintained entirely out of local funds. As to the metropolis, the police courts in the City of London are maintained out of City funds, and the metropolitan police courts out of Imperial funds.