§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in the event of the Government of Ireland Bill becoming law, all confidential Reports, records, and other documents relating to the commission and detection of crime, the treatment of prisoners, and generally to the administration of the Criminal Law, which are now among the records in Dublin Castle, or elsewhere in Ireland, will be removed from the inspection of Irish Ministers and placed in safe custody within the limits of Great Britain?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEThis question does not in terms refer to a distinction which I have no doubt the hon. Gentleman has in his mind between that class of Papers which are in the main confidential and the class of Papers which may be called routine. With respect to those called routine, I do not suppose he would wish to have them removed; but with respect to Papers which are confidential, or included within confidential limits, undoubtedly I think it would be right that they should be regarded as a closed door, and that those Papers should not be considered as part of the material officially at the disposal of the Irish Government.