§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether a sum of money is ever issued by direction of the Lords of the Treasury as "Expenditure without Account;" and, if so, in what manner the same is brought under the consideration of the Commissioners for the Audit of Public Accounts; and whether the Expenditure is passed by them after due examination of the vouchers for the subordinate items of expenditure included in that sum. What he wanted to know was whether, if £10,000 were given to a person "without account," the Auditing Officer would have to put up simply with the receipt for that sum, or 14 whether he could exact receipts for the various items of expenditure and follow the sum of £10,000 to its appropriation?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he was at a loss to understand what the noble Lord meant by "Expenditure without Account," unless he meant expenditure upon interest, which was constantly going on. It was advances for various services, which were advances made to meet the exigencies of the public service before any final account could be rendered. In all cases where expenditure of that kind took place, the persons to whom it was made were strictly accountable to the Commissioners of Audit. It was the business of the Commissioners of Audit to see that proper vouchers were given.