§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, he wished to know, Whether the Appropriation Bill would be printed, and. in the hands of hon. Members, before the second reading? He should be glad also to know why the usual Appropriation Clause, the most important of the Bill, had been omitted from the Bill in the second Session of 1857 and again in the second Session of 1859?
THE CHANCELLOR OFTHE EXCHEQUERsaid, that so far as he was aware, the printing of the Appropriation Bill was conducted by the officers of the House, and the Treasury had not interfered with it. A regular account was kept by the clerks of the House of the Votes in Supply, which was checked by an account kept by the Treasury. Therefore, the accuracy of the Appropriation Bill depended on the accuracy of these accounts. Whether the Bill should be printed or not was more a matter for the consideration of the House than the Government. He could not say why the clause was omitted from the Act of 1857, as he was not then a Member of the Government.
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUWill the right hon. Gentleman say why it was omitted from the Act of the second Session of 1859, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer?
§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBYsaid, he trusted the Chancellor of the Exchequer would make no difficulty about printing the Appropriation Bill, which ought to be in the hands of hon. Members.