§ MR. DARBY GRIFFITHI wish, Sir, to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether it has come under his observation that one particular morning paper was enabled to publish the substance of his intended Budget on the morning before its communication to this House, and whether it is in accordance with his intention that such anticipation of his Financial Statement should take Place?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, before I answer the Question of the hon. Member perhaps he will allow me to apologize to him for not having been in my place on Tuesday evening to give him a reply. But the fact is, I was otherwise closely engaged. I was occupied with an army of deputations, headed by Members of Parliament, from which I could not escape. With regard to the first part of the Question of the hon. Member, it did come under my observation that one particular morning paper was enabled to publish the substance of 1467 the Budget before it was communicated to the House. With regard to the second part of the hon. Gentleman's Question, it certainly is not in accordance with my intention that such anticipation of the Financial Statement should take place. On the contrary, no man is more directly interested in its not taking place. I shall not make any addition to that answer, except to do an act of justice to gentlemen connected with the Civil Service of this country with whom I have been in confidential communication in connection with nine annual financial statements. It has happened that those gentlemen knew everything up to the last moment; but on this occasion I do not know that any of them was in a position to be guilty of a breach of confidence of which I am sure every one of them would be totally incapable.