§ MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S.W.)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, with reference to the following paragraph in the Report of the Auditor for Indian Home Accounts for the year 1885–6, dated May, 1887:—
4. As regards…the prices charged by the War Office for warlike stores, I have to report that a Committee has been appointed, and is now sitting, for the consideration of this subject; so that the difficulties which have hitherto attended it may now be considered as in a fair way of solution;1174 and also with reference to the following paragraph in the Report of the same official for the year 1886–7, dated May, 1888:—The question referred to in my last Report, relative to the prices charged by the War Office for warlike stores, still remains open;what Committee is referred to by the auditor; has this Committee reported on the question to which he refers; and, when is it likely that the Government will come to a decision in the matter?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)The Committee to which the Auditor refers is one on which the Treasury, the War Office, and the India Office are represented, appointed in April, 1887, to investigate the prices charged by the War Department for stores supplied to the Indian Government. The Committee has not yet reported. Until the Committee shall have reported it is impossible to say when the Government will pass a decision on the matter.