§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury under what statutory authority, and for what reason, the 802W Treasury discriminates between the reward branch and the benefit branch of the Irish Constabulary Force Fund, requiring an annual statement to be issued to the force of the income and expenditure of one and not of the other; whether the benefit branch will in future be subjected to similar treatment; and, if not, will he say why?
Mr. MASTER MANAs regards the first part of the question I fear I can add nothing to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 10th June. I will consider with the Irish Government the question of the issue of an annual statement in regard to the benefit branch.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he will state the statutory authority, if any, for making grants out of the Irish Constabulary Force Fund, benefit branch, to head constables on promotion?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Inspector-General informs me that no such grants were ever paid out of the benefit branch of the fund.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked if any money was paid out of the Irish Constabulary Force Fund as rewards for good conduct, bounties, or otherwise, between 18th June, 1883 and 1st April, 1891, to non-contributors who joined the force after the former date, will he say how much and the authority under which it was paid?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Inspector-General informs me that as far as can be ascertained about £30 was paid as rewards for good police service in the period named in the question to men who joined the force after 18th June, 1883. Rewards, gratuities, and bounties continue to be payable under the Act of 1836 to men who joined the force prior to 18th June, 1883. Men who joined since that date are excluded by Section 11 of the Act of 1883 from gratuities and bounties, but not from rewards.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked whether the Irish Constabulary Force Fund had, prior to 1891, three statutory sources of revenue, namely, deductions from pay, deductions from pensions, and fines and penalties; and whether he will state the statutory authority, if any, for depriving it of this third source of revenue and for paying this money in rewards for good conduct to head constables on promotion and in bounties on retirement to non-contributors who joined the force after 18th June, 803W 1883, and who are expressly declared not entitled by the Statute of that year?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Constabulary Force Fund derives its income from the three sources mentioned in the question. In 1891 it was divided into two branches, the benefit branch and the reward branch, by separating deductions from pay and pensions from income derived from fines and penalties. The fund, as a whole, has rot been deprived of any source of income. As regards the second paragraph of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I have just given to the similar question of the hon. Member (No. 71).
§ Mr. GINNELLasked in how many of the cases in which deductions are now being made from pay and pension and called contributions to the Irish Constabulary Force Fund are the contributors and their families completely debarred by the rules from ever deriving any benefit from that fund, as Constable Ronaghan and his family are; can he refer to the authority for making the deductions from persons so debarred; if the loss is imposed only by rules never sanctioned by this House, why the authority which has made rules of that effect does not amend them; and whether money so obtained from poor families will be refunded to them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Inspector-General informs me that as far as can be ascertained there are only two other cases similar to that of Constable Ronaghan. The deductions for the fund must be made as provided by Section 12 of 37 and 38 Viet., cap. 80. As these deductions must under Statute be added to and form part of the fund, there is no power to repay contributions to the subscribers or their families. The rule as to marriages without permission has been in force for fifty-three years, and at this stage in the history of the fund I see no reason for its alteration, at all events, at present.