HC Deb 28 May 1847 vol 92 cc1276-7

On the question that a sum of 39,000l. be granted for the Foreign and Secret Service,

DR. BOWRING

complained that from year to year they were called upon to vote the same sum of 39,000l. for the Secret and Foreign Department. Was the same sum expended every year? He believed very little service was done for this sum; but it was singular that the same amount should be voted year after year.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

was understood to say that the charge was made on the expenditure of an average of years.

MR. HUME

complained that putting money into the hands of people in this way only encouraged extravagance, and led, perhaps, to the bribery of fellows in foreign countries who were not worth bribing. He believed it was principally, if not entirely, in the foreign service, that this money was expended; and it was most mischievously thrown away, as he had no doubt had been the lately in Portugal.

MR. WILLIAMS

thought the Government ought to satisfy themselves as to whether there was any balance of the sums voted in former years on hand. He might state that there was an impression abroad that a large portion of the Secret Service money was devoted to electioneering purposes.

The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, with regard to the last observation of the hon. Gentleman (Mr. William), could state most positively that the impression to which he had alluded was wholly without foundation. There was a strict oath which every Minister was bound to take, that he would apply the funds with which he was intrusted to their proper and legitimate purposes.

Vote agreed to.