LORD HENRY LENNOXasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, What, if any, objection he has to lay upon the Table of the House the Report of a recent Admiralty Committee on Dockyard Incidental Charges, which was presided over by Mr. Hamilton?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANSir, the Report of the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into incidental expenditure at the Dockyards is of a confidential character, and intended for the information of the Board of Admiralty. It would be inconvenient, and, I believe, also quite unusual, that such a document should be made public.
LORD HENRY LENNOXIn consequence of the unsatisfactory answer I have received, on going into Committee of Supply on the Navy Estimates I shall call attention to the great inconvenience which arises from Members of the Government quoting in their speeches official documents of a confidential character which they are not prepared to lay on the Table of the House.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANPerhaps I may be allowed to explain—and my explanation may save the noble Lord the trouble of drawing attention to the subject—that I did not quote from this document at all in my speech on the Navy Estimates. I merely referred to the fact that an inquiry had been held, and had had the result of promoting economy; but I did not say anything about the Report or quote from it.
LORD HENRY LENNOXThe hon. Gentleman alluded to the document as bearing out his own views. If a document were, even in that manner, brought before the House of Commons, it be- 1275 comes the property of the Members of the House of Commons.