HC Deb 28 February 1889 vol 333 cc584-5
MR. LABOUCHERE

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a Committee had been sitting to consider what economies might be made in the present expenditure of the Civil List; whether the right hon. Gentleman was himself a Member of the Committee; whether, if such Committee had reported or come to an agreement, the result would be laid upon the Table of the House; and whether any economies, by the abolition or amalgamation of existing offices, had been agreed to; and whether, if so, the consequent saving would be paid into the Treasury; or, if not, how it was contemplated to dispose of it?

MR. W. H. SMITH

We have not appointed a Committee of Inquiry into economies which might be made in the present expenditure of the Civil List, and there has, therefore, been no agreement as to economies such as the hon. Member refers to. I stated last year that Her Majesty had been pleased to remit to us the subject of Royal Grants, and in discharge of the duty thus intrusted to us we have held conferences with those whose opinion we desired to obtain, and we have made certain inquiries which have no doubt led to the report that a Committee as described by the hon. Member has been sitting.

MR. E. ROBERTSON (Dundee)

Will the right hon. Gentleman be willing to extend the inquiry to all Royal Grants?

MR. W. H. SMITH

No, Sir; I should not be willing to extend the inquiry to the extent the hon. Gentleman suggests.

MR. ROBERTSON

I beg to give notice that I propose, when the hon. Member makes his Motion for the appointment of a Committee, to move that the inquiry be extended to the administration of the Civil List, and to all public appointments held by Members of the Royal Family, to the estates the income of which is enjoyed by Members of the Royal Family, and to any other of the national endowments of any member of the Royal Family out of public property or public funds.

MR. LABOUCHERE

I do not think the right hon. Gentleman quite apprehended my Question, which was not whether a Committee had been appointed, but whether it had been sitting?

MR. W. H. SMITH

It has not been appointed, and therefore could not sit.