§ Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary whether, seeing that officials in the Four Courts are paid from public funds, he can state on what grounds it is alleged that they are not Government servants; whether any department of the public service is entitled to withhold from Parliament the information which Parliament has ordered to be supplied; and whether the particulars so withheld will now be supplied?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo Department of the public service is entitled to withhold information called for by Parliament; but in196W the present case I understand that the Lord Chancellor held, as a matter of legal interpretation, that the offices attached to the Supreme Court did not come within the term Government Departments used in the Order of the House. If the hon. Member will move for a Return with respect to the Officials of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Ireland, similar to that which has already been furnished with regard to other Irish officials, there will be no objection to granting it.