§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDasked the Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to the additional Estimate of £500 for 1330 Electoral Statistics in Ireland, ordered by the House of Lords, on a Division which was carried against Her Majesty's Government by a majority of five Peers, Whether this House will have any opportunity of expressing an opinion upon this Estimate before the expenditure has been ordered?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, as my hon. Friend states, this Return was ordered by the House of Lords against the judgment of Her Majesty's Government; and we were in some difficulty, inasmuch as the ordinary Estimate of the Valuation Office did not contain provision for the expense of preparing the Return. The Treasury, after consultation with the Irish Government, thought an additional Estimate should be presented; and the work of the Return, which cannot be commenced until next month, will be proceeded with unless this House should indicate a resolution to refuse to vote the money.