HC Deb 10 February 1902 vol 102 cc874-6
MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will explain why the Civil Service Supplementary Estimates have, without notice being given to the House, been again presented in a form which will allow of but one question being put from the Chair, when last session he based the change then for the first time made on the ground that it was an emergency operation, and an emergency operation alone, the circumstances being altogether special. May I explain that I understand the Secretary to the Treasury gave some sort of notice late at night, but not the sort of notice I have in my mind.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The hon. Gentleman complains of the notice. It was public notice given in the ordinary way by my right hon. friend in my absence and at my request. I agreed not to make the change without notice; but the notice has been given in a perfectly public and unexceptionable manner. The reason for the change is simple. It was made last year as an emergency measure, but the Government think that it is the most con- venient way of dealing with Supplementary Estimates. We do not put the Supplementary Estimates, like the Ordinary Estimates of the year, in fixed compartments. As they have to be passed by March 31, it is best to put them in a form which will prevent an emergency arising similar to that from which we suffered last year.

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT

It is an arrangement convenient to the Government, no doubt, but the question is whether it is convenient to the financial control of this House. I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether or not a practice of this kind is not a great encouragement to the increase of Supplementary Estimates, and a discouragement to the Government to place on the Original Estimates the true expenditure.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I will try to answer a somewhat argumentative question. I entirely concur with the right hon. Gentleman that the Government should, as far as possible, restrict putting any of their expenditure in the form of Supplementary Estimates, and, as a matter of fact, the Supplementary Estimates this year are on a much smaller scale than those which it was our duty and misfortune to present last year. Of course, when I used the word convenient, I meant to apply it in its widest sense, and to speak of the convenience not of the Government alone, but of the progress of public business.

MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)

I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether last year, when this practice was adopted for the first time in the whole history of Parliament, the right hon, Gentleman did not defend it on the ground that, it then being the 18th of March, and Supply being in a backward condition, it was essential to take this course to fulfil the law, and whether he did not on that occasion give the House a pledge, repeated two or three times in the course of the debate, that this was not to be taken as a precedent.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I am basing myself now on the convenience of the House. I promised that notice should be given, and it has been given. The fact that a thing has been done once is surely not a reason for not doing it again, though it may be a reason for doing it again.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question. Did he not last year give a pledge to the House that the adoption of the practice last year was not to be taken as a precedent for the future?

MR. A. J, BALFOUR

I do not take it as a precedent.

MR. JOHN REDMOND

This is a most important matter. If the right hon. Gentleman is, without discussion, allowed to establish this practice, he will have passed a new rule without any discussion at all, at the very time we are debating, the proposed new Rules of Procedure. Under those circumstances I shall ask leave to move the adjournment in order that this matter may be discussed.

* Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member must wait till Questions are over.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

Will the right Hon. Gentleman undertake, before making any further change in the presentation of the Estimates, to submit any such change to the Public Accounts' Committee?

* Mr. SPEAKER

Order, order! That is an altogether different Question.