Mr. PEELasked the Prime Minister why, in view of the fact that there is no precedent for the granting of the whole of the supplies for the year by the House of Commons before the introduction of the Finance Bill, he has seen fit in this Session to depart from the usual constitutional practice?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Resolutions on which the Budget is founded were discussed in Committee and passed before the final Votes in Supply were taken in Supply. Last year the whole supplies were granted at a comparatively early stage in the Committee on the Finance Bill. In both cases there were exceptional Parliamentary conditions which necessitated some departure from the usual practice.
Mr. PEELDoes the Prime Minister not think it, I will not say unconstitutional, but somewhat absurd that the House of Commons should Vote and Appropriate the whole of the Supplies for the year before it decides in the Finance Bill how those services are to be raised?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, Sir. That depends on circumstances.