§ MR. ALDEN (Middlesex, Tottenham)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Committee on Public Accounts has reported that Mr. J. Noreen had claimed and been paid £4,000 for 4,009 cattle, 1,721 of these having already been paid for; that the Army Council had decided not to proceed against Mr. Noreen, on the ground that he had practically no assets; and whether, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, he can see his way to take action against Mr. Noreen.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) My attention has been drawn to the paragraph in the Report of the Public Accounts Committee alluded to by my hon. friend. The grounds on which the Army Council based their view are set forth in the correspondence printed upon pages 183 to 185 of the Appropriation Account for 1904-5, but, in view of the remarks of the Public Accounts Committee, I shall of course give further consideration to the case.