SUPPLY—ORDNANCE ESTIMATES. (Hansard, 25 March 1850)

COLONEL ANSON
said, he very much regretted that he had not had an opportunity of bringing forward the Ordnance Estimates in their regular course, and that he was now obliged to have recourse to the unusual proceeding of asking the House to vote a sum of money on account, for the purpose of defraying those branches of expenditure which might come into course of payment after the close of the financial year. This was not the first time he had stated that he thought it would be very desirable that those estimates should be brought forward at an early period of the Session. He admitted that there was very great inconvenience in the delay which had taken place. It was inconvenient to the Government, to the department, and, he believed he might add, to the House. But however desirous the Government might be to get through the public business, and however anxious the department might be to have the sanction of Parliament, in order to be enabled to carry on those services placed more immediately under its control, the House must be aware that there were circumstances which the Government could not control, which might occasionally intervene to prevent business of importance being brought for ward, from the time occupied by debates on other subjects, and also by measures introduced by independent Members of that House entirely unconnected with the Government. He only mentioned this to prove that the Government was not at all to blame, and that the department was not at all accountable for the delay that had taken place, and, also, that he was obliged to resort to this unusual proceeding before any general statement had been made of the services to be provided for and the expenditure to be incurred. The House was aware that no funds were available for public services, unless sums were provided by votes on account after the termination of the financial year; and as this would take place during the recess, and some accounts must be paid at that time, it would 1390 be evident to the House that the course now adopted was unavoidable. He was as conscious as any one of the very deep interest taken by that House in matters connected with the public expenditure, and he felt he should not be doing justice to the department he represented in that House if he were to enter into any explanation of the details of these matters on the present occasion. He trusted that the House would agree in the propriety of the course he now took, and that they would give him their permission to place in the hands of the Chairman certain votes on account, amounting to about 600,000l. in the aggregate, to enable Her Majesty to provide for the services which would come into course of payment at the close of the financial year. He had the permission of his noble Friend at the head of the Government to say, that on the first day of supply after the recess the Ordnance Estimates would be brought forward, when ample opportunity would be afforded of discussing them. He should now place the votes in the hands of the Chairman.

§ MR. HUME
observed, that as the hon. and gallant Member had very properly reserved his general statement, and these votes were proposed merely to enable the Government to carry on the service of that department, he (Mr. Hume) would defer any observations he might wish to make on the subject until the estimates came regularly before the House.

§ LORD J. RUSSELL
stated, in reply to Mr. B. Osborne, that on the first night after the recess the Ordnance Estimates would be placed first in Committee of Supply, and his hon. and gallant Friend the Member for South Staffordshire would enter into a full explanation.

§ MR. SPOONER
thought this arrangement would be inconvenient; for it was desirable that these estimates should be discussed in a full House, and it was probable that for the first day or two after Parliament met many Members might be detained in the country by their duties at quarter-sessions.

§ LORD J. RUSSELL
was ready to admit the inconvenience mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, but if he were to accede to the various requests that were made to him, much of the public time would be lost. He had postponed several measures which were to have been brought forward to-night; and if he also gave up the first 1391 night after the recess, two would be lost, so far as important Government business was concerned.