§ 60. Mr. GINNELLasked whether the authority of any State Department for any particular expenditure puts that expenditure outside the jurisdiction of the Comptroller and Auditor-General; whether the authority of the Treasury is questionable, and is ever disallowed by that official, and a refund of money paid required; by what Commissioners of the Treasury was authority given for the public expenditure incurred in connection with the illegal retention of the seat in this House for Whitechapel in circumstances in which Members had until then been accustomed to resign; what fact was submitted to the Treasury differentiating the case from those other cases; and on whose application was the authority of the Treasury given for this expenditure?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe entire expenditure of all Government Departments out of voted moneys is subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, and it is his duty under the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act to report to Parliament any payment by whomsoever sanctioned that appears to him for any reason not properly chargeable against the Parliamentary Grant. The expenditure before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was incurred in order that, in accordance with the desire of the Select Committee, the case against the hon. Baronet the Member for Whitechapel might be put before the Committee. The necessary authority was given by the Board of Treasury on the application of the Treasury Solicitor.
§ Mr. GINNELLThe right hon. Gentleman has not said by what Commissioners of the Treasury authority was given.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am afraid I cannot answer that question.