§ MR. GINNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will explain why the auditors of the Local Government Board for Ireland do not enforce the law of lowest tender for performance of the legal work as of the other public works of local governing bodies; if he is aware that in most cases in which an annual payment is made to a solicitor all real legal work is paid for according to scale in addition, being double payment out of the rates; and whether local bodies and auditors will be instructed to adhere in future to either one system or the other, subject in either case to the common requirement of advertising for tenders and accepting the lowest.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The hon. Member presumably refers to the law relating to the acceptance of tenders for the execution of public works, but this law does not appeal to apply to the legal work of local bodies. The Local Government Board are not aware of any foundation for the allegation that double payment is made for such legal work. There is no statutory provision which would enable the Board to issue instructions as suggested.