§ MR. ANDERSONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Under what Act of Parliament he has arranged for the commutation of the Marlborough and Penn pensions; and, whether Parliament will have an opportunity of discussing these commutations before they are finally agreed to?
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked whether the Government proposed to make any distinction between those who had only life interests and those who might succeed afterwards?
§ MR. COURTNEY, in reply, said, this was a totally different Question from that on the Paper. Of course, in commuting those pensions care would be taken that the interest of all concerned in them would be maintained. In the case of sale by a life-tenant, that would be done probably under the direction of Chancery, and the money vested in Trustees. As to the Question of his hon. Friend, these pensions were charged on the Consolidated Fund, and were never voted by Parliament. Under the Acts 36 & 37 Vict. c. 57, and 46 Vict. c. 1, the Treasury was empowered to commute such perpetual charges, and to transform by arrangement -with the National Debt Commissioners the perpetual into a Terminable Annuity. The commuted annuities, like the original annuities, were charged on the Consolidated Fund, and did not, therefore, come before Parliament.