Mr. NUGENTasked the hon. Member for Worcestershire (Bewdley Division), as representing the National Insurance Audit Department, whether he will furnish a statement showing the audit districts in the Irish division and the approximate number of audit units and the approximate number of insured persons, respectively, in each of such districts on 1st January, 1916, drawing a distinction in each case between centralised societies, head offices of affiliated societies, district offices of affiliated societies, and branches of affiliated societies?
§ Mr. BALDWINissued the following statement:
1ST JANUARY, 191(5. Audit District. Centralised societies Affiliated Societies. Approximate number of insured persons. Head offices. Districts Branches. 11 59 1 6 171 307,300 12 66 2 1 268 275,800 13 57 1 20 296 94,000 14 47 1 11 294 422,200 15 30 2 37 320 81,800
Mr. NUGENTasked the hon. Member for Worcestershire (Bewdley Division), as representing the National Insurance Audit Department, whether he will furnish a statement showing the amounts paid by way of travelling and subsistence, respectively, to each of the Dublin auditors in respect of official visits to the inspector of audit at Liverpool during each of the four years ended 31st August, 1916?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe headquarters of the Irish Division was not transferred from Dublin to Liverpool until the 1st September, 1915. From that date to the 31st August, 1916, sums amounting to750W £8 3s. 9d. and £3 16s. 6d. for travelling and subsistence were paid to the two Dublin auditors, respectively, in respect of official visits to the inspector of audit at Liverpool.
Mr. NUGENTasked the hon. Member for Worcestershire (Bewdley Division), as representing the National Insurance Audit Department, whether, seeing that Mr. Hesketh, auditor, Manchester, was, in or about the month of April, 1916, transferred to fill an auditor's vacancy in London, and that Mr. Williams, acting auditor, was, about the same time, transferred from London to fill an auditor's vacancy in Manchester created by the transfer of Mr. Hesketh, he will state the amount paid out of public funds in respect of each of these transfers; whether he will state the nature of the exigencies of the public service departmentally urged in support of this interchange of officials; and whether he is satisfied that there was a genuine public necessity for these interchanges, and that they were not carried out to satisfy mere personal schemes?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe amount paid out of public funds in respect of the transfer of Mr. Hesketh was £42 0s. 5d., and in respect of that of Mr. Williams £37 14s. The rearrangement referred to was not an interchange of officials. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
Mr. NUGENTasked the hon. Member for Worcestershire (Bewdley Division) whether he is aware that amongst the established staff of the National Insurance Audit Department serving in Ireland there is only one Catholic, and that the position occupied by this Catholic is only a subordinate one; if so, seeing that about three-fourths of the population of Ireland is Catholic, will he explain whether this condition of affairs is due to the attitude of the Department to Irish Catholics; and whether he proposes to take, any steps with a view to putting on an equitable basis the position indicated?
§ Mr. BALDWINI have no knowledge of the religious belief of any member of the staff.
Mr. NUGENTasked the hon. Member for Worcestershire (Bewdley Division), as representing the National Insurance Audit Department, whether he will state the number of official visits paid to Dublin by the inspector of audit in Liverpool between the 1st October, 1915, and the 13th, 751W October, 1916, and the amount of travelling and subsistence charges incurred in respect of these visits.
§ Mr. BALDWINFifteen visits costing £101 17s. 6d.
Mr. NUGENTasked whether the headquarters of the Irish audit division has been transferred from Dublin to Liverpool; whether each of the inspectors of audit in charge of the Scottish and Welsh audit divisions still has his headquarters at Edinburgh and Cardiff, respectively; and, if so, whether any steps have been taken since this question was first raised some months ago to restore to the Irish capital the dignity of the position which it previously held as the headquarters of the Irish audit division?
§ Mr. BALDWINWith reference to the first part of the question, the hon. Member is referred to the reply given to him on the 18th April, 1916, by my predecessor. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. No question of dignity arises, but merely the most convenient and economical centre for the audit division.