SUPPLY—SECRET SERVICE. (Hansard, 1 August 1850)

§ COLONEL SIBTHORP
said, here was a vote for 35,000l. nobody knew for what. Now, he contended that the expenditure of money taken from the pockets of the people ought to be made known. Then it was so remarkable that about the same sum should always be demanded. There was never any balance left from the preceding year to be carried to the current year; but the demand was nearly the same. Surely the Chancellor of the Exchequer ought not to be ashamed of the balance in his hands. He could not conceive what was paid for out of this vote. He had sometimes thought that the white bait dinner might be included in it. He had never been able to make out what Secret Service Money was spent in, and he feared that the Government were ashamed to tell. But until the fact should be known, ugly suspicions would be entertained that it was devoted to very improper purposes. If hon. Members would only back him, he would knock the whole thing overboard. However, as the matter was, he would be contented with knocking down half, and then with the stipulation that the House should see what the money was wanted for; and he had no doubt, if this House would let the Government have only half they asked for, they would be glad enough to come forward and show reasons for wanting more. But he contended it was a most dangerous practice to 652 throw money about loose after this fashion. He should now propose a Motion, if hon. Members would support him. He would first try to reduce the grant of the whole sum to 25,000l.

§ MR. HUME
said, there might have been a time when Secret Service Money was required, but since the war he did not see what necessity there was for it. When he first objected to this vote, he satisfied himself that a large proportion of the money was given in pensions to individuals who came from other places and in a variety of ways which it was not possible to prevent. But he should have expected that the incumbrances would fall off. It was true there was a reduction in the vote this year from 39,000l. to 35,000l.; but that was not enough, and he should like to know on what principle the reduction took place. He believed that five-sixths of the whole went to the Foreign Office. If the money was spent, it should be spent aboveboard. All attempts at bribery were improper. Besides this vote of 35,000l. there was 10,000l. charged on the Civil List, which made the whole Secret Service Money 45,000l. He should have no objection to do away with the vote altogether; but as he believed there were incumbrances upon it, he would suggest to the hon. and gallant Member to get at its extinction gradually, and to move that the vote be reduced by 10,000l. this year.

§ MR. S. CRAWFORD
said, that no grant ought to be viewed with more jealousy by the representatives of the people than this grant of Secret Service Money.

§ LORD J. MANNERS
called on some Member of the Government to give information to the Committee on the subject of the vote.

§ LORD J. RUSSELL
said, that the vote was one which could not be explained. Secret Service Money implied that it could not be made public. They only asked for it as in former years, in order that it might be applied to the public service.

§ MR. SPOONER
wished for some explanation as to the reduction in the amount of the vote.

§ LORD J. RUSSELL
said, that if the hon. Gentleman was not satisfied that there should be a reduction, he would be ready 653 to take the same sum that was voted on former occasions.

MR. DUNCAN
said, that as no explanation could be given, the only alternative was that the House of Commons should not grant the money.