§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ MR. W. H. SMITH (Strand, Westminster)Before this Bill is reported, I wish to ask whether the contribution which has been made under the authority of the Act which is now to be repealed will, notwithstanding the repeal of the Act, be continued to be paid, at all events for this year, to the hospitals of Devonport and Portsmouth? The Vote appears in the Army and Navy Estimates as a Vote under the Act to be repealed, and I think the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Campbell-Bannerman) will see that the matter admits of some inquiry. He will see that as when this Bill becomes law the Act will have disappeared, and the Vote has not been taken, it will have to be proposed independently of the Act that is repealed under the authority of this Bill.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN)&c.) (Stirling,It is our intention this year to continue the sums which the right hon. Gentleman refers to. It is true they are inserted as payable under the Act which is about to be repealed, and that some alteration in the wording of the Vote will have to be made; but it is the intention of the Government to continue the payments.
§ Bill reported, without Amendment; read the third time, and passed.