HC Deb 28 May 1895 vol 34 cc467-8
MR. JAMES WILLIAM LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is possible to include a grant for the £50,000 (or any part of the same) which Her Majesty's Government has undertaken to pay to the British East Africa Company in consideration of the surrender of their charter, in the Vote on Account which he proposes to submit on Thursday next; and, if not, in what form will the said grant be proposed to the House of Commons?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT,) Derby

Yes, Sir; the grant will be included in the Vote on Account on Thursday.

MR. J. W. LOWTHER

asked whether the rule of the House was not that no new Estimate could be taken in the Vote on Account, but that they could only take money from sums that had already been voted by the House, and whether this additional sum did not form an entirely new vote?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

replied that no doubt it was the usual practice to take only the ordinary Votes that had already been passed, but there was no rule against the course proposed. He put down this Vote at the suggestion of hon. Members opposite, and for their convenience, but, if they did not assent to it, he would not press it.

MR. J. W. LOWTHER

reminded the right hon. Gentleman that the Vote for the British East Africa Company was the last Vote in the fifth class, and these Votes were taken in their order, and he asked whether the right hon. Gentleman could give an assurance that it would be discussed on Thursday.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EX CHEQUER

said, he could not give an assurance as to any Vote on any night. He was asked to put this Vote down, not so much with reference to the £50,000 as to the larger sum which would be payable to the Company by the Sultan of Zanzibar, which could not be paid until the House had given some sort of authority to its being done. If the hon. Member desired that the Vote should stand over, and that the Company should not get their £200,000, that was no affair of his own.

MR. H. LABOUCHERE (Northhampton)

asked whether, if the hon. Member for Peterborough enlarged on earlier matters in the Estimates, and this vote was only reached at Eleven or Eleven-thirty p.m., discussion would follow.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, he really could not answer for the conduct of the hon. Members for Northampton or Peterborough. That remained to be seen. This Vote was put down because hon. Members opposite desired an opportunity of discussing it. If they objected he would not press it. The only people who would suffer would be the British East Africa Company.

MR. J. W. LOWTHER

said, he was anxious that the matter should be discussed. Would the right hon. Gentleman promise not to closure the Vote before this item was reached?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Will the hon. Member undertake to sit all next week? There is the hon. Member for King's Lynn; perhaps he would be willing to do so.

MR. ALPHEUS C. MORTON

Does the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer think it wise——

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!