MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, is he aware that the Finance Accounts of the United Kingdom for the year ending 31st March, 1902, and ordered by the House to be printed on 23rd June, 1902, were not distributed till 31st August, 1902; and can he make arrangements so to expedite the future printing and distribution of these Accounts that they may be distributed at a less interval than five months after the close of the period they include.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Finance Accounts include the final Returns of revenue for the expiring year, which, coming as they do from all parts of the United Kingdom, require many adjustments, and cannot be ready until some time after the close of the financial year. The printing of the accounts has to be done at a time when the pressure on the Government is considerable, but although every effort will be made to expedite their distribution I am afraid I should be holding out false hopes if I promised any great acceleration.