§ Mr. FFRENCHasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that £20,000 was charged against the local authorities in South Wales for police that were brought from London for the suppression of riots; that the local authorities refused to pay this sum; and that it has since been debited against the Metropolitan Police Fund; and whether, seeing that Wexford and South Wales are not similarly treated, and that the Wexford County Council has been refused all information as to the reason why a police tax resulting from labour troubles in Wexford town should be spread over the county at large, he will consider the desirability of assimilating the law in this respect between England and Ireland?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe statement in the first part of the question is not quite accurate. I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given by the Home Secretary to the questions asked on this subject by the hon. Member for the Holborn Division on 6th December last, and the hon. Member for St. Pancras West on 27th February. There does not appear to be any ground for altering the law on the subject at present in force in Ireland.