§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government, in consenting to pay the costs attendant upon the prosecution of Mr. Whitaker Wright, have considered the outlay incurred by those private gentlemen who compelled the prosecution; and if they will be held free from loss.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Mr. VICTOR CAVENDISH,) Derbyshire, W.Perhaps the bon. Member will allow me to answer this Question. The Treasury will pay the costs of the application to the Court for a direction to the Official Receiver to prosecute. They will also pay the net costs incurred by the Official Receiver in respect of the prosecution. As regards the other costs referred to, the Treasury will be prepared to pay them on being satisfied as to the necessity for incurring them and the amount actually expended.
§ MR. LAMBERTDo the Treasury propose to pay only the taxed costs or also those between solictor and client?
§ MR. VICTOR CAVENDISHI can add nothing to my reply.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLBut certain costs were incurred by these gentlemen who forced the prosecution. Are they to bear the loss, or will the Government recoup them?
§ MR. VICTOR CAVENDISHI think that is covered by the last paragraph of my answer.
§ MR. SEYMOUR ORMSBY-GOREIs the noble Lord aware that the costs incurred by these gentlemen only amounted to half of the estimate?
§ [No answer was returned.]