§ SIR JOHN GORST (Cambridge University)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the original Estimate for "Temporary Commissioners not specially provided for" for 1892–3 was £8,000; whether the sum now found to be necessary for the above service is £10,700; and whether the excess over the original Estimate has been partly caused by the costs of the Evicted Tenants (Ireland) Commission?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTThe original Estimate for "Commissions not specifically provided for" was £8,000. It is now estimated that the total sum chargeable to the sub-head will be £10,700. There will be some 27 Commissions or Com- 426 mittees, of greater or less importance, chargeable to the sub-head, none of which were known of when the Estimate was framed, and it is not possible in strictness to say that the excess over the original Estimate was due to one of these rather than to any other. But, in accordance with practice, the Supplementary Estimate mentioned the largest item of all these Commissions, that for the Metropolitan Water Supply, as sufficient by itself to account for the excess over the original provision.
§ SIR J. GORSTWhat is the precedent the right hon. Gentleman relies on?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI will state that in reply to another question later on.
MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)Does the right hon. Gentleman then ear-mark the excess of the Estimate to one Commission only?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTWe have acted on precedent. This Supplementary Estimate; was prepared in the usual way by the proper branch of the Treasury. It has been the practice that the item which asks for the largest amount shall be specially named in the Supplementary Estimate.
MR. JAMES LOWTHERDoes the right hon. Gentleman contend that the expenses of the other Commissions should not come within the purview of the House of Commons?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTNo; I contend nothing. It will, I think, be for the Chairman of Committees to say whether any discussion should be raised.
§ MR. HANBURYCan the right hon. Gentleman undertake that no portion of the £2,000 shall yet be paid for the Evicted Tenants Commission?
SIR J.T.HIBBERTThe Commission which will require the largest amount will take £3,200, and the Evicted Tenants Commission, which requires £2,170, is outside the other item.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)May I ask whether, seeing that when the original Vote for Temporary Commissions was passed the Metropolitan Water Supply Commission was in existence, it is possible to include in the Vote the expenses of the Evicted Tenants Commission, which was not in existence or even contemplated by the original Vote, and which is responsible for the deficit; and whether such a course of 427 procedure is not a grave breach of Constitutional practice, in withdrawing as it does a contentious Vote from the control of the House of Commons.
§ MR. SEXTONI rise to a point of Order. I beg to ask whether the question put by the hon. Member opposite does not involve a question of interpretation and other questions which must be decided by the Chairman of Ways and Means?
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is clearly not a question for me to decide. It is a question for the Chairman of Committees, from whose decision there is no appeal.
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI wish to state' in reply to the speech of the hon. Member, that the Metropolitan Water Supply Commission is a new Commission, which has been appointed since the Estimates were passed.