asked the hon. Member for West Swansea, as representing the Charity Commissioners (1) whether he will make a statement as to the financial position of the Drury Lane Fund; the amount of the capital invested, and of the annual income; the number of annuitants, their names, and the annual value of the individual pensions;

(2) whether he will give the names of those responsible for the management of the Drury Lane Fund, the directors and the secretary; and whether any member of the management committee is in receipt of an annuity, and, if so, the amount of such annuities;

(3) whether he is satisfied that the original intention of the trust governing the Drury Lane Fund is being carried out by the management committee?

Owing to star time arrangements the Charity Commissioners have not, at the present time, access to the accounts of the Drury Lane Fund, which arc delivered to them in compliance with the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Acts, or to their records relating to this charity. In the absence of these accounts and records the Commissioners are unable to make any statement as to the financial position of the fund except to state that the official trustees of charitable funds hold two sums of stock representing the proceeds of sale of land of the value of £650, or thereabouts in trust for the fund; and they are unable to state the names of the annuitants or the value of the pensions. It is not in accordance with the normal practice of the Commissioners to disclose these latter particulars, except in so far as they appear in the accounts of the fund delivered to the Commissioners in pursuance of the said Acts.

The name of the Secretary of the Drury Lane Fund is C. M. Lowne. The Charity Commissioners have not at present access to the records relating to this fund and are unable to supply the other information asked for.

So far as the Charity Commissioners are aware, the Drury Lane Fund is being administered m accordance with the Act of Parliament and rules governing it.

Is the hon. Member aware that these questions have been put to the Charity Commissioners over a period of three or four years; is he also aware that the Secretary of the Drury Lane Fund is not Mr. Lowne, who resigned a considerable time ago?

I was not aware that the Secretary had resigned. This is the latest information at my disposal.

I put down three Questions to the hon. Member, and he has answered two of them. [HON. MEMBERS: "No, three."] The question he has not answered is whether he is satisfied that the Royal Charter granted by the King has been carried out.