MR. WHITE (for Mr. SEELY)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the sum of £430,000, taken from Post Office Revenue to repay moneys taken from Savings Bank balances, will not form part of the General Balances, and increase the Revenue by that amount; whether, if the Chancellor of the Exchequer still considers himself justified in anticipating that the Post Office Revenue will be nearly equal to that of last year, the Post Office Revenue will not be £430,000 in excess of his estimate; whether the effect will not be that next April the right honourable Gentleman will have the sum of £860,000 to deal with in addition to his estimated working surplus of £291,000; and, whether the probability of any increase in the Unfunded Debt being necessary at the end of the year is not thereby greatly diminished?
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThe hon. Gentleman assumes that this sum has been taken from the Post Office Revenue. I dare say he is right in that assumption, but I have no proof of it, or means of ascertaining at this moment. Before I enter upon the serious matter of correcting in any way the estimate I laid before the House when making the Financial Statement, I should like to be quite sure of the facts. If, therefore, the hon. Gentleman would allow his Question to be postponed for a few days, I will give him correct information.