HC Deb 28 July 1887 vol 318 cc354-5
MR. P. M'DONALD (Sligo, N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Irish Government will furnish a duly audited and certified Return of all receipts and ex-expenditure of the Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police Pension Fund, now amounting to £133,489, and lay it upon the Table of this House, same to be with form of Dr. and Cr. account, and specifying the annual amounts received, and from what sources; also the amounts paid, and to whom and for what services paid, since the establishment of the fund in 1836; and, whether the officers of the Force, and for what services rendered, have received any payments out of this Fund; and, if so, what amount, as compared with the gross payments made to the rank and file or the widows and orphans of all under the ranks of officers?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet)

(who replied) said: The Constabulary Force Fund is not a pension fund of the Constabulary, and has no connection whatever with the Dublin Metropolitan Police. As already explained to the hon. Member, this Fund is strictly applied to the purposes laid down by the Constabulary Act of 1866—namely, the reward of meritorious members of the Force, and for the relief of the families of members of that force. The officers of the Force participate in like manner with the men in the benefits of the Fund. It would not be practicable to give the detailed Return asked for, the vouchers being forwarded to the Audit Office from time to time. An account of the receipts and payments of this Fund is rendered monthly by the Receiver of Constabulary to the Controller and Auditor General with his other accounts, and he receives annually from that officer a certificate which shows the balance due.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

asked whether this Fund was not raised by the contributions of the men in the Constabulary Force? He desired to know upon what principle the Government refused to allow the members of the Constabulary Force to ascertain for themselves in what manner the money was expended, especially as there was a suspicion that ex-Detective Inspector French had received some of it? What objection was there to laying the Return on the Table?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN

said, if the hon. Member would put the Question on the Paper, he would endeavour to answer it.

MR. SEXTON

said, he would raise a debate on the question on the Vote for the Chief Secretary's Office.