§ MR. HERBERT LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can state what was the amount expended, under the Military Works Acts of 1897 and 1899, on defence works, barracks, ranges, and staff and contingencies respectively, from the 1st April, 1900, to the 31st March, 1901; what is the estimated expenditure under those headings for the current year; and what is the total amount in respect of which contracts have been entered into under the Military Works Acts of 1897 and 1899.
LORD STANLEYThe accounts are not fully made up to 31st March, 1901, but the following is the approximate expenditure from 1st April, 1900, to 31st March, 1901:—Defences, £400,000; barracks, £500,000; ranges, etc., £250,000; staff, etc., £50,000. The estimated expenditure for the current year will be found in Command Paper No. 518 of 1901, but I have reason to hope that we shall make more progress than was anticipated, in which case the expenditure will be larger. The total amount authorised up to 904 date for which contracts have been made is £5,691,670, but contracts involving a large amount are now under consideration, and will probably be accepted within the next month or so.