§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether there exists any solid objection on the part of the Imperial or Indian Governments to lay before Parliament all the documents, or a selection of the documents, which will enable Members to obtain information about the extensive money claims which have for so many years remained unsettled between India and England?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI am exceedingly sorry that the hon. and gallant Baronet should be under the misapprehension that there is any unwillingness to produce the Papers relating to this subject. I cannot help 1299 thinking that he is under some mistake as to the nature of the Papers and documents he asks for. The state of the case is really this. For eight years there has been great difficulty between the Imperial and the Indian Governments with regard to the settlement of the balances on the one side and on the other. That has been the subject of a good deal of communication between the different Departments, and various attempts have been made to arrive at a mode of settling the question. The matter has been two or three times before the Committee of Public Accounts, and it has also been noticed by the Controller and Auditor General. Ultimately, an arrangement has been come to, suggested by the Treasury and accepted by the War Office and the India Office, which will form the basis both of a settlement for the past and of future arrangements, which will prevent the recurrence of these difficulties. The matter was brought before the Committee of Public Accounts a few weeks ago, and a Memorandum, which sets forth the whole matter, has been printed by them in the Appendix to their Report; and they state that, inasmuch as it has only just been referred to the Controller and Auditor General, they would prefer to reserve any remarks upon it until they heard what he has to say. That will be done next Session, and the matter will then be before the House. I do not think there would be any advantage in laying all the intercommunications between the Departments on the Table, while there would be some inconvenience in doing so.
§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURAm I to understand that I am not to have the Papers?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERWhat Papers?
§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURrose, and was about to specify what he wanted, when—
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, he must give Notice.