HC Deb 21 February 1901 vol 89 cc696-7
MR. FIELD

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state what amount of money was paid to the late Inspector General of Constabulary from the Constabulary Force Fund on the occasion of his retirement: whether unmarried members of the Royal Irish Constabulary are forced to pay an annual subscription to this fund against their will, and whether there is any provision for their reaping any benefit except their travelling expenses home on retirement; and whether he can state what amount of money has been paid into the Constabulary Force Fund by unmarried policemen since it was subsidised by the Government, and what amount was disbursed in respect of unmarried policemen during the same period.

MR. WYNDHAM

At the request of my right hon. friend I will reply to this question. The late Inspector General received a sum of £171 from the Constabulary Force Fund. Unmarried members of the force who joined before the 18th June, 1883, are subject to a statutory deduction of 30s. per cent. from their pay for the fund, and should they marry, their wives and children would be entitled, subject to the rules governing the fund, to participate in the benefits of the fund in addition to the grants on retirement, referred to in the question as "travelling expenses." As regards the second paragraph, I am informed that the books and accounts do not distinguish between payments made by married and unmarried members, respectively.