HC Deb 16 February 1899 vol 66 cc1088-9
MR. ENGLEDEW (Kildare, N.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury has taken any definite action with regard to the manner in which the Vote for £8,500, for allowances to Irish county officers, is to be expended in the future, having regard to the fact that the manner in which this Vote has hitherto been expended has been officially described by the Chief of the Treasury, Remembrancer's Office, Dublin Castle, as an anomaly, and that no adequate justification for its continuance can be alleged; and, if so, what steps; and whether it is intended in the future to check these allowances, as to the necessity for and extent of the allowances in each case, and as to the vouching of all payments by each particular individual; and if he will lay upon the Table a copy of the circulars issued by the Treasury on this subject, and a return in detail showing how the Vote was expended during the last financial year?

MR. HANBURY

The Treasury have given directions that the allowances are henceforth to be vouched for in the case of all county officers who are permanent whole time civil servants. There are, however, a few officers to whom such allowances have hitherto been paid who do not answer to that description. It is not deemed expedient to apply the rule to officers in that position, and Parliament will for the future be asked to vote for them an exclusive salary to cover their own remuneration and all expenses for assistance or other purposes. Certain circulars have already been issued to the county officers on the subject, but the detailed arrangements for vouching the allowances are not yet completely settled, and until they are it is premature to lay them before the House. The arangements will be settled in time to take effect at the beginning of the next financial year. But it is obviously impossible to show the results for the last financial year, in which they were not in force. When the system has been applied the Treasury will be in a position to judge as to the necessity for the continuance of the allowances at their present amount.