§ Mr. HORNERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state what was the total capital of the Constabulary Force Fund, Benefit Branch, for the three years ended 31st March, 1891–2, 1901–2, and 1911–12, giving the total receipts and expenditure, and balance in hand, for these years, and distinguishing the amount of interest received from the Commissioners of National Debt; whether the balances in favour of the fund each year since the passing of the Constabulary Act of 1853 have been returned to the Imperial Treasury or otherwise disposed of; how many officers and men serving, and on pension, are at present compulsorily subscribing to this, fund; if bachelors and widowers without families are compulsorily lapsed without benefits on retiring from the service on pension; if pensioners on becoming widowers, and afterwards, whose children have been provided for, are also precluded from any benefits from the fund; will he give the number of such men, single and widowers, who are at present drawing their pensions and were lapsed as set forth; and whether any statement of account of this fund has ever been issued to the Royal Irish Constabulary?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe capital of the benefit branch of the Constabulary Force Fund at the dates mentioned was as follows:—
1281W
Consols. Local Loan Stock. £ £ At 31st March, 1892 … 155,293 … 154,000 At 31st March, 1902. … 218,108 … 154,000 At 31st March, 1912. … 221,488 … 154,000
The receipts and expenditure of the National Debt Commission in connection with the fund in the three years were:— Year ended 31st March, 1892. Receipts. Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. To Inspector-General, H.I.C. 5,174 7 3 For stock bought 152,215 0 1 From Inspector-General R.I.C., voted by Parliament 150,000 0 0 Balance in hand — Dividend on stock 1,126 2 6 Dividends on stock 1,088 17 7 For stock sold 5,174 7 3 £157,389 7 4 £157,389 7 4 Year ended 31st March, 1902. Dividends on stock 10,599 6 2 To Inspector-General, R.I.C. 9,000 0 0 For stock sold 343 0 1 For stock bought 1,942 6 3 Balance in hand £10,942 6 3 £10,942 6 3 Year ended 31st March, 1912. Dividends on stock 10,317 13 3 To Inspector-General, R.I.C. 12,000 0 0 For stock sold 9,405 9 11 For stock bought 7,723 3 2 Balance in hand £19,723 3 2 £19,723 3 2 The amounts received by the Inspector-General arising from deductions from pay and pensions, the expenditure in gratuities, and the balance on the current account for the years mentioned were as follows:—
Year ended 31st March 1892. 1902. 1912. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Receipts … … 12,406 8 8 8,432 12 9 4,714 14 0 Expenditure in Gratuities … … 13,787 12 0 17,708 5 11 18,246 11 7 Balances … … 639 12 11 509 16 8 3,160 9 1 No balances of the fund have been returned to the Treasury or otherwise disposed of. No statistics are kept of the number of officers and men (serving or on pension) subscribing to the fund. The figures are daily changing through deaths, retirements, and other causes. Pensioners continuing to subscribe to the fund do so voluntarily, not by compulsion. Bachelors and widowers without children, who joined the force before 18th June, 1883, necessarily cease contributing to the fund on retirement, inasmuch as no benefit from
1282Wthe fund can in their case arise after retirement. Except in the case of unmarried daughters left without a mother, all benefit to the family of a subscribing pensioner ceases when his children, born before retirement, reach the limit of age and his
wife dies. On his intimating to the Inspector-General that possible benefit has ceased, no further deductions for the fund are made from his pension. Pensioners are at liberty to cease subscribing to the fund at any time. No statistics are kept of the men who cease to subscribe to the fund, either upon or after retirement. An annual account of the receipts by the Inspector-General for the fund, and of the expenditure in gratuities is furnished to the Comptroller and Auditor-General, but no statement of the account is issued to the force.