§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary how many pensioners and how many men serving at present are subscribing to the Constabulary Force Fund; the exact amount now in the fund; how much it would take to pay off all the members' families if all of the men were dead; and will he take a vote of the subscribers to the fund as to winding it up or not?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Inspector-General informs me that there are no statistics of the exact number of pensioners and men serving who are subscribers to the fund. With regard to the second paragraph of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question asked on this subject by the hon. Member for South Tyrone on 27th November last. It is impossible to state what the liabilities of the fund would amount to if all the subscribers were deceased by a given date and the amount which would ultimately be required to pay off all contingent liabilities could only be ascertained after a long actuarial investigation. To close the fund in any other way than by paying all its liabilities to widows and orphans (as is being done) would require legislation.