§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of 200 Ireland is appointed by Letters Patent signed by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland as representative of the Crown in Ireland; whether the office of Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland was determined by a change in the personnel of the occupant of the Lord-Lieutenancy till by statutory enactment it was provided that the tenure of the office of the Lord-Lieutenant should not be affected by a change in the holder of the Viceroyalty; and whether it is the duty of the Chief Secretary for Ireland to acquaint the Lord-Lieutenant with reference to matters of Irish policy and administration and to take his advice on such matters, whether the Lord-Lieutenant be or be not a member of the Cabinet.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)The Chief Secretary is appointed by a Minute signed by the Lord-Lieutenant, and he is further appointed by Letters Patent under the Privy Seal. His tenure is not affected by a change of Lord-Lieutenant. There were apparently doubts as to whether he would require re-election after a change of Lord-Lieutenant, but these doubts were set at rest by statute as far back as 1813. As to the last part of the Question, I dissent from the hon. Gentleman's view of the relations between the Lord-Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this description is taken from Lord Spencer's speech in reference to those duties?
§ MR. A.J. BALFOURI still dissent from that view.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI agree with Lord Spencer.