§ MR. J. HOLMSasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Departmental Committee recommended by the Select Committee of Public Accounts, to report upon the expediency of extending the system of an independent audit to the accounts of our Army and Navy expenditure, was appointed; and, if so, when; and, whether that Committee has made any Report; and, if so, if he has any objection to lay said Report upon the Table?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHSir, the Committee to which the hon. Member for Hackney refers was appointed under the superintendence of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and made some progress in its inquiries. Various circumstances, however, occurred to delay 250 it, and no Report has yet been presented. I have had the subject under consideration, and I trust that I shall be able to suggest a satisfactory solution of the Question. For that purpose I propose at my earliest leisure—most probably at the end of the Session—to resume and complete the inquiry, and the Report which we shall present will, of course, be communicated to the Departments concerned and submitted to Parliament.