§ MR. MACVEAGH (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has now ascertained if the official circular to the staff of the Local Government Board of Juno 6th, 1905, contained, in every ease under the heading "Place of Education," the entry, "Information not available"; whether the members of the staff were explicitly informed that the Board proposed to answer the query in that form; whether ho is aware that any official objecting to that entry would thus have invited the displeasure of his superior officers; whether he can state why the officials wore not asked whether they wore willing to supply the information ordered to be supplied by the Parliament which votes their salaries; whether the circular was issued by the Assistant Secretary, at the direction of the Vice-President; whether either of them acted at the instance or with the knowledge of the Chief Secretary of the time; and 717 whether the Government sanctioned the conduct of permanent officials in Dublin Castle in suggesting to their subordinates to refuse to supply the information called for by order of the House of Commons.
*MR. BRYCEI have ascertained that the circular contained all the information which the Local Government Board possessed, and that under the heading "Place of Education" the entry was "No information available." the circular stated that it was proposed to send the information in that form subject to any correction which the person concerned desired to make. I am informed that if an official had objected to the entry, ho would have incurred no official displeasure As a matter of fact, many officials of the board, in response to the circular, supplied information as to their place of education, and incurred no displeasure by so doing. The officials were not directly asked to supply information as to their place of education, because the then Attorney-General for Ireland had advised, and had so informed this House, that heads of departments had no legal right to demand this information, and that civil servants could not be obliged to supply it. The circular was issued by the direction of the Vice-President and with the authority of the then Chief Secretary, whose instructions were that the Board should furnish all the official information in their possession, and should lot each official see the proposed return and add any information concerning himself which he desired to give. I am informed that it is not the case that permanent officials suggested to their subordinates to refuse to supply the information called for by order of this House.
§ MR. MACVEAGHinquired why the officials were not asked whether they were willing to supply the information ordered to be supplied by the Parliament which voted their salaries?
*MR. BRYCEI have answered that. The then Attorney-General said the officials could not be required to give the information, and, therefore, it was thought that no question in the nature of a summons should be addressed to them, but as a matter of fact, many of thorn voluntarily supplied the information themselves.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)Does the right hon. Gentleman think it a proper thing for the head office in Dublin when Sending round a circular asking for information in accordance with the decision of this House to fill up in advance in Dublin one of the columns with the statement that no information was available? Is not that a direct hint to the officials not to supply the information?
*MR. BRYCEIt is not for me to express an opinion about the action of my predecessor. [NATIONALIST cries of "Why?"] Because I had nothing to do with the matter, and it is because I have nothing to do with the matter now; but, as I say, the Vice-President informs me that these matters took place in pursuance of the opinion given by the then Attorney-General by which ho considered himself to be bound.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDIs it not a perfectly proper Question to put to the right hon. Gentleman whether ho approves of the action of his predecessor in this matter?
*MR. BRYCENo, Sir, I do not think so. As the matter is not one that is before me it is not necessary for me to express an opinion, especially as the opinion of the then Attorney-General appears to have been the governing factor.
§ MR. MACVEAGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the circular only came to light within the past week?
§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)Is it not a fact that the reason that no information was available was because the officials were left to their own opinions?