HC Deb 08 August 1882 vol 273 cc1263-7

MATTER considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

1. Resolved, "Whereas it appears from the Navy Appropriation Account for the year ended 31st March 1881, as follows, viz.:—

  1. (a.) That the sums expended for certain Navy Services exceeded the Grants for those Services, and that the deficits on such Grants amounted together to £87,533 19s. 8d. as shown in column (a) of the Schedule hereto appended;
  2. (b.) That the sums received in respect of Appropriations in Aid of the Grants for certain Services fell short of the sums estimated, and that such deficiencies amounted together to £14,891 13s. 1d. as shown in column (b) of the said appended Schedule;

SCHEDULE.
No. Navy Services, 1880–81, Vote. (a) Deficits on Votes. (b) Deficiencies of Appropriations in Aid. (c) Excess of Appropriations in Aid. (d) Surpluses on Vote.
£ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.
1 Wages, &c. to Seamen and Marines 819 4 2 66,933 10 5
2 Victuals and Clothing for ditto 2,325 17 4 63,564 8 2
3 Admiralty Office 5,078 16 10
4 Coast Guard Service and Naval Reserve 935 18 5
5 Scientific Branch 6,848 2 9
6 Dockyards and Naval Yards, &c. 5,768 5 6
7 Victualling Yards, &c. 2,107 14 4
8 Medical Establishments, &c. 871 9 7
9 Marine Divisions 1,024 4 0
10 Sec. 1 Naval Stores 49,970 3 4 17,603 7 10
Sec. 2 Machinery, Ships built by Contracts, &c. 78,917 4 11
11 New Works, Buildings, and Repairs 29,064 6 6
12 Medicines and Medical Stores 2,047 17 8 11,260 3 1
13 Martial Law, &c. 1,228 11 3
14 Miscellaneous Services 7,682 10 7
15 Half Pay, &c. 2,658 10 8
16 Sec. 1 Military Pensions and Allowances 9,681 13 3
Sec. 2 Civil Pensions and Allowances 6,156 14 4
17 Army Department—Conveyance of Troops 7,095 7 9 9,698 13 11
Amounts written off as irrecoverable 4,974 13 7
87,533 19 8 14,891 13 1 17,603 7 10 274,288 9 7
84,822 4 11
£102,426 12 9 £102,426 12 9
Total Surpluses on Votes 274,288 9 7
Less amount applied to make good deficiencies 84,822 4 11
Net surplus to be surrendered £189,466 4 8

(c.) That the sums received in respect of Appropriations in Aid of the Grant for Naval Stores exceeded the amounts estimated by the total sum of £17,603 7s. 10d. as shown in column (c) of the said appended Schedule;

(d.) That surpluses arose on the Grants for certain Services, and that such surpluses amounted together to £274,288 9s. 7d. as shown in column (d) of the said appended Schedule.

2. And whereas, in order to provide for the first two above-mentioned sums (a) and (b), amounting together to £102,426 12s. 9d. the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have temporarily authorised the application of the third above-mentioned sum (c) of £17,603 7s. 10d. and of £84,822 4s. 11d. out of the last above-mentioned sum (d).

3. That the said application of such sums be sanctioned.

SIR HENRY HOLLAND

said, that lie was glad to be able to congratulate his hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Courtney) upon the great improvement, both in form and substance, of these Resolutions, an improvement which could not but be very satisfactory to all who had to consider these matters. The Committee could now see at a glance the several amounts of deficits on Votes; of Deficiences of Appropriations in Aid; of Excesses of Appropriations in Aid; of the Surpluses on Votes; and also the amount applied from the Excesses and Surpluses to make good the Deficiences. Not only was the form improved, but the improvement in substance was really very material. Up to that time, no Resolution had been taken to sanction expenditure for certain Navy services un-provided for, and temporarily defrayed out of the sum realized in excess of the estimated Appropriations in Aid. Such a Resolution had been regularly passed for some years with respect to the Army; but for some reason, which was not explained to the Public Accounts Committee, a like course had not been pursued with respect to the Navy. That irregularity was now put an end to, and the practice was made uniform for both these large spending Departments.

SCHEDULE.
No. Army Services, 1880–81, Vote. (a) Deposits on Votes. (b) Deficiencies of Appropriations in Aid. (c) Excesses of Appropriations in Aid. (d) Surpluses on Votes.
£ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.
1 General Staff and Regimental Pay 22,561 13 9 204,925 2 8
(£61 disallowed)
2 Divine Service 173 15 8
3 Administration of Military Law 1,548 18 10
4 Medical Establishment, &c. 24,224 12 2
5 Militia Pay and Allowances 24,521 1 8 46,192 17 3
6 Yeomanry Cavalry 7,369 14 0
7 Volunteer Corps 245 10 1
8 Army Reserve Corps 12,026 6 5
9 Commissariat, &c. Establishments 1,879 18 10 12 3 6
10 Provisions, Forage, Fuel, &c. 94,870 2 2 20,905 18 3
11 Clothing Establishments, &c. 29,727 6 11 49,343 11 5
12 Supply of Warlike, &c. Stores 58,000 2 9 44,760 15 1
13 Works, Building, and Repairs 30,396 6 7
Carried forward 184,896 16 5 24,533 5 2 137,571 18 6 326,744 17 11

4. Resolved, Whereas it appears from the Army Appropriation Account for the year ended 31st March 1881, as follows, viz.:—

  1. (a.) That the sums expended for certain Army Services exceeded the Grants for those Services, and that the deficits on such Grants amounted together to £207,944 14s. 1d. as shown in column (a) of the Schedule hereto appended;
  2. (b.) That the sums received in respect of Appropriations in Aid of the Grants for certain Services fell short of the sums estimated, and that such deficiencies amounted together to £24,533 5s. 2d. as shown in column (b) of the said appended Schedule;
  3. (c.) That the sums received in respect of Appropriations in Aid of the Grants for certain other Services exceeded the amounts estimated by the total sum of £137,571 18s. 6d. as shown in column (c) of the said appended Schedule;
  4. (d.) That surpluses arose on the Grants for certain Services, and that such surpluses (including a disallowance of £61) amounted together to £374,767 17s. 1d. as shown in column (d) of the said appended Schedule.

5. Resolved, And whereas in order to provide for the first two above-mentioned sums (a) and (b), amounting together to £232,477 19s. 3d. the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have temporarily authorised the application of the third above-mentioned sum (c) of £137,571 18s. 6d. and of £94,906 0s. 9d. out of the last above-mentioned sum (d).

6. Resolved, That the said application of such sums be sanctioned.

No. Army Services, 1880–81, Vote. (a) Deposits on Votes. (b) Deficiencies of Appropriations in Aid. (c) Excesses of Appropriations in Aid. (d) Surpluses on Votes.
£ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d.
Brought forward 184,896 16 5 24,533 5 2 137,571 18 6 326,744 17 11
14 Establishments for Military Education 1,776 16 10
15 Miscellaneous Effective Services 7,141 12 11
16 War Office 4,470 13 7
17 Rewards for Distinguished Services 489 5 2
18 Pay of General Officers 2,907 1 1
19 Retired Full Pay, Half Pay, &c. 31,723 2 0
20 Widows' Pensions 1,418 0 7
21 Pensions for Wounds 2,782 14 7
22 Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals 1,311 6 1
23 Out-Pensions 8,082 0 6
24 Superannuation Allowances 402 0 6
25 Militia, Yeomanry, and Volunteer Forces—Non-Effective Charges 3,222 8 6
Amounts written off as irrecoverable 5,343 15 0
207,944 14 1 24,533 5 2 137,571 18 6 374,767 17 7
94,906 0 9
£232,477 19 3 £232,477 19 3
Total Surpluses on Votes 374,767 17 7
Less amount applied to make good deficiencies 94,906 0 9
Surplus to be surrendered £279,861 16 10

House resumed.

Resolutions to be reported To-morrow.