MR. WALKERI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, seeing that the Crown Agents are not responsible to this House, by what means Parliamentary control will be secured over the expenditure of the sum of £1,400 which is to be granted to the Crown Agents towards the maintenance of the scientific and technical department of the Imperial Institute; whether this department is in future to be under the direction of the Crown Agents; and whether the Crown Agents will be entitled to draw any commission upon 1033 the sums that pass through their hands in this connection.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe sum of £1,400 is not granted to the Crown Agents, but paid to a fund opened at the Crown Agents' Office. Neither the fund nor the department at the Imperial Institute is in any sense under the direction of the Crown Agents. It is not intended to pay to the Crown Agents' Office any commission in connection with the matter.