§ MR. AUGUSTUS SMITHsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, When the Civil Service Estimates will be laid upon the table. He must complain that, notwithstanding the distinct recommendations of Committees and the remonstrance of individual Members, the Civil Service Estimates were always kept back to a much later period than those affecting the Naval and Military Services, Class 6 of the Civil Service Estimates had, indeed, been issued that morning, but there was no appearance of any of the other Classes. The Vote on Account, also, which it was intended to ask for, was in a novel form, for it did not disclose towards which of the Classes the Vote on account was to be applied.
MR. PEELsaid, he could assure the hon. Gentleman that the Treasury was anxious that the Civil Service Estimates should be presented at as early a period of the Session as possible; but it should be remembered that they were divided into a large number of Classes, each Class comprising a great number of Votes, and each Vote a great number of items. These Estimates had of late years been presented much earlier than they were some years ago, the whole being laid on the table during the month of March. With regard to the Votes on Account, he must observe that what had just been complained of arose from the complaints of hon. Members of the practice of paying the expenses of different Departments of the Civil Service out of balances from previous Votes. Those balances were now surrendered year by year, and a Vote on account was necessary to enable the Treasury to meet expenses as they arose. He was not aware, however, of any difference between the course pursued this year and that pursued last year.
§ Main Question, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and agreed to.