§ SIR THOMAS ESMONDEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether any steps are being taken to wind up the Constabulary Force Fund; and, if not, whether there is any intention on the part of the authorities to meet the wishes of the Constabulary pensioners interested in it?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe position of the Government with regard to the Fund mentioned is fully stated in my reply to a question on the subject put by the hon. Member for West Belfast, on August 11 last, to which I now refer the hon. Member. He will there observe that it is not intended to take any step for the closing or winding up of the Fund, other than is provided in Section 11 of the Constabulary and Police (Ireland) Act, 1883, whereby the insurance or benefit branch of the Fund is in course of gradual extinction. The Government has undertaken, in order to make this branch of the Fund solvent, to aid it with a considerable grant of public money.
§ MR. SEXTONWhat steps do the Government propose to take to insure that the arrangement which they intend to make will be satisfactory to the contributories?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think there will be no doubt the arrangements will be satisfactory to the contributories. All that they can desire is that the Fund shall be made solvent, and that the benefits they have been led to expect will be secured. That result will be arrived at by the arrangements to be made.