MR. MACARTNEY (for Mr. EWART)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If the Commissioners of Church Temporalities in Ireland have paid over cash, or have appropriated specific securities of an equal value to the amount of one million three hundred thousand pounds to the Pension Fund, under the National School Teachers (Ireland) Act, as required by the third section of the Act of the 42 and 43 Vic. c. 74; and, if the money has not yet been paid over, to inquire whether steps will be at once taken to secure the Pension Fund before any further charges are imposed on the property of the Irish Church Fund?
§ MR. COURTNEYThe Irish Church Commission have not paid over cash or appropriated specific securities of an equal value to £1,300,000 to the National School Teachers Pension Fund, because the Act only requires them to do so upon a certificate from the National Debt Commissioners, that the whole or part of the sum is required for the purposes of the Act, and no such certificate has been given. The Irish Church Commissioners pay to the National Debt Commissioners, under the second part of the section in question, interest at the rate of 3 per cent per annum upon £1,300,000. Any new charge to be imposed upon the Church Fund must form the subject of proposals to Parliament; and the hon. Member will be able to judge whether these proposals maintain the security of the National School Teachers' Pension Fund.