§ MR. MAINS (Donegal, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what amount of information, if any, the Government will give in the form of a Return of the income and expenditure of the Constabulary Force Fund; whether the Fund has ever been audited; and, if so, by whom; how many effective and non-effective members of the Force have a vested interest in the Fund; and whether any, and, if so, how many, widows and orphans are now a charge upon the Fund?
MR. J. MORLEYWith reference to this question, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the very full reply which I gave on the 9th May last to a question put by the hon. Member for Cork, and in which I stated that the invested balance of the Fund, amounting to £304,000, is in the hands of the National Debt Commissioners, in addition to which there was at the same date a current cash balance of about £2,500 in the public account of the Inspector General; that the Fund has been audited from the outset of its career by the Exchequer and Audit Department; and that the number of officers and men now serving, whose pay is subject to the statutable deductions for the Fund, is approximately 8,730, and the number of subscribing pensioners 3,426. The concluding paragraph of the question seems to be based on a misapprehension. 98 No pensions are granted from the Fund, and all claims cease with the payment of the gratuities to widows or children.