§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, in view of the widespread dissatisfaction of those concerned with the management and auditing of the Irish Constabulary Force Fund, and the desire of a majority of them that on these grounds the fund should be wound up and distributed, if he will say by whom this fund has been managed and audited; whether the subscribers have had any control of the management; why the fund has never been developed as an insurance fund; what its present amount is; and whether he will have the fund now audited to the satisfaction of the subscribers, a statement of the result distributed among them, and their votes taken as to whether the fund should be wound up or not?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am not aware of any widespread dissatisfaction amongst subscribers to this fund. It is a trust fund created by Act of Parliament for the benefit of the widows and children of subscribers. The fund is under the control of the National Debt Commissioners, and is administered by the Inspector-General under rules sanctioned by the Treasury. The accounts are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General. The amount of the fund at present is:2302W Consols, £221,511; Local Loans Stock, £154,000; and cash, £2,539. The fund, which has been closed to new entrants-since 1883, is being wound up by the payment of the claims upon it according as they arise, and when all the claims have been met, the surplus, if any, must be surrendered to the Exchequer in repayment of the sum of £150,000 voted by Parliament in 1891 to secure the solvency of the fund.