§ Resolution reported, "That it is expedient to authorise the purchase and maintenance, by the Commissioners of Works, out of Moneys to be provided by Parliament, of Monuments within the meaning of any Act of the present Session to consolidate and amend the Law relating 2446 to Ancient Monuments, and the payment of any Expenses which may be incurred thereunder."
§ Resolution read a second time.
§ Mr. BOOTHI beg to move, at the end of the Resolution to add the words "not exceeding the sum of ten thousand pounds in any one year."
It is not my fault that the Resolution is not on the Paper, and that therefore Members cannot see exactly what the purport is. That, of course, is the old custom of the House that has been broken repeatedly, but in this case they have reverted to the very bad custom of previous years and kept the Resolution in a secret box, to which, by the kindness of the Clerk, I had access a few days ago. I move this Amendment in order that we may get an expression from my hon. Friend the Member for St. George's-in-the-East (Mr. Wedgwood Benn) with regard to the intention of the Department he so well voices in this House. As far as I understand it, the Bill which is founded upon this Resolution contemplates an elastic expenditure—it may be only £1,000 or it may be £1,000,000. When the Resolution was before the Committee I endeavoured to extract from him some little gleam of information upon this point, but he was adamant, and it certainly was a late hour. I, therefore, determined to use the forms of the House in order to see if I could obtain a satisfactory answer. If my hon. Friend will say what is the intention of his Department I will be satisfied if it is anything reasonable. I do not know whether he wants £25,000, £50,000, or £500,000. I do not know whether they have a hundred monuments to buy and preserve or only one, but it is only reasonable to know before we give this elastic power what is in the mind of the First Commissioner of Works, and what expenditure is immediately necessary. In order to extract this information, I hope with not too much difficulty at this hour, I beg to move my Amendment.
§ Mr. KINGI beg to second the Amendment, and I do so in order to state once again the objection which has been frequently expressed in connection with many Resolutions of a completely indefinite character. There ought to be, in my opinion, a definite sum stated in every money Resolution which accompanies a Bill. I think £10,000 is quite enough to spend upon this Bill, which is purely ex- 2447 perimental, or rather, let us say, is of a new character and may be followed by further legislation later. That is one reason, and a very good reason, for supporting this Amendment, and I hope the Government will accept it.
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN (Lord of the Treasury)My hon. Friend asks for a precise figure of the amount which we intend to spend on maintaining or purchasing ancient monuments. I can only direct him to the Estimates of the year which contain an exact and a precise figure. If this Amendment were persisted in it would not only set bounds to our expenditure in the future, but would actually curtail what we are doing under our existing powers, and I am sure my hon. Friend does not desire that. If he will look at the Estimates for Public Buildings he will see that £19,000 is taken this year for this purpose. As to the future, I can only say we will exercise due economy, but by giving a second reading to the Bill the House has indicated its desire that we should take a step forward in the way of protecting ancient monuments, and I would, therefore, suggest that my hon. Friend should reserve any criticism until the Estimates come before Parliament, when, if he thinks them excessive, he will have exact figures on which to state his grievance.
§ Question, "That those words be there inserted," put, and negatived.