§ MR. JAMES STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)asked the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the Annual Accounts of the Ordnance Factories, of which the Return for the year ending March 31, 1887, and ordered to be printed March 27, 1888, has just been delivered to Members of this House, Whether it would be possible in future to have this Return laid upon the Table of the House within less than 12 months after the termination of the period to which it relates; and, whether, when laid upon the Table, it might not, in future, be possible to have it in Members' hands in a less time than four months after it has been ordered to be printed?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WAR DEPARTMENT (Mr. BRODRICK) (Surrey, Guildford)(who replied) said: It is intended that the balance-sheets of the Ordnance Department shall, in future, be ready much earlier than they have hitherto been; and that they shall be in the hands of Members at least as soon as the Appropriation Account.