§ Mr. BROMLEYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if Major W. S. Gosling, to whom £7,560 has been paid in respect of the uncommuted portion of the pension originally granted to the first Duke of Schomberg, is a direct descendant 2547W of that duke; when was such pension first granted to the Duke of Schomberg; and for what reasons?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe answer to the first part of the question is, so far as I am aware, in the negative. If the hon. Member will refer to the Report of the Select Committee on Perpetual Pensions (House of Commons Paper 248 of 1887, pages 44 and 107), he will find a statement showing the persons who have held parts of this pension and full replies to his second and third inquiries. The whole of the pension has now been commuted.
§ Mr. BROMLEYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to whose benefit the £42,000 paid over to the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice in commutation of the annual pension of £2,000 to Lord Rodney since 1782 has been placed: and whether such person or persons are direct descendants of the Lord Rodney to whom the pension was first granted?
§ Mr. McNEILLAt the time of commutation the pension was being paid to Lord Rodney and (under jointure) to his mother Corisande, Lady Rodney. The commutation money was paid into Court and the responsibility of the Treasury then ended. I understand that the Court gave directions for its investment and for the payment of the income to the persons named.