§ MR. WILLIAM MOORE (Antrim, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury by what methods it is intended to ascertain the place of education of each salaried official in the various Government Departments in Ireland; if it is open to every such official to decline to furnish such information as being solely personal to himself; and, if not, to what penalty will he be liable in the event of his refusal.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)Perhaps I may be permitted to reply to this Question. In all cases where this information has not already been furnished to the Department on the occasion of the appointment, promotion, or transfer of an official, the only method which the Government could be expected to resort to, to obtain it, would be to ask the official to supply it. I am advised that the Government have no legal right to make such a demand, and that if they made it the official applied to would have every right to decline to accede to the demand. It was in consequence of these reasons that I declined to assent to the Return in the first instance.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)May I ask whether, as the House of Commons has ordered this Return, the Government will take steps to have the order enforced?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI can only say I have taken the legal advice at my disposal, and the Answer I have given is the result of that advice. I have no power to obtain the information, nor has the head of the Department.
§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)Will the right hon. Gentleman say for what reason he withdrew his objection to the Return?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI never did withdraw my objection to the Return. The Motion came on unexpectedly at five minutes to twelve o'clock, when neither I nor the law officers were in the House. In consequence, the Return was ordered by the House. A Motion had been put on the Paper by the Secretary to the Treasury for the rejection of the Return, but it did not seem possible to secure an opportunity for the debate. Therefore, I undertook that, so far as I was able to do so, the information should be provided.
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)Has the right hon. Gentleman any reason to suppose that these officials are ashamed to give this information?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have not the slightest reason to suppose anything of the kind. I assume they are entitled to their rights and privileges as much as anybody else.
§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)May I ask the Chief Secretary whether any officer refusing to supply this information will do so at his own risk?
§ *MR. SPEAKERNotice must given of any further Question.