§ Mr. HAYESasked the Home Secretary whether he will state the balance remaining in the relief and reward branches of the constabulary force fund of the late Royal Irish Constabulary; and whether this fund can now be wound up and the balance in hand utilised to assist widows and orphans of deceased subscribers and to augment the pre-War pensions of ex-members of the Royal Irish Constabulary?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe relief and reward branches of the constabulary force fund have been amalgamated, and on the 31st March last the assets of the fund amounted to approximately £282,500. The object of the fund is to provide benefits for the widows and children of subscribers on the subscriber's death. No new subscribers have been admitted for many years and as the existing subscribers die the fund is in process of being wound up; but any scheme for the immediate distribution of the assets would be contrary to the interests of the widows and orphans for whose benefit the fund was intended.