§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBYsaid, he wished to remind the Government that no financial statement had been made to the House for fifteen months, and to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer Whether it is his intention to make any financial statement previous to the House going into Supply. He need not say that it was of the highest importance, and should be made as soon as possible, particularly as regarded the expenditure of the country.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERIt is certainly my intention to adhere to the course usually followed on these occasions. On Friday next the representatives of the military and naval departments will be prepared to enable the House to proceed with these Estimates, and to make known to the House, as far as can be made known, the proposed expenditure for the year in connection with these departments. As soon as the House has disposed of these, the principal demands on the public purse, it will be my desire to fix the earliest possible day for the financial statement of the year, for I know it is very inconvenient to the public that it should be postponed longer than necessity requires. But it is not my intention to make any statement apart from the usual statement which combines the subject of the expenditure with the Ways and Means of the year.