§ 19. Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will obtain from the Comptroller and Auditor-General for this House a Report on the 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 that official relies upon to justify the expenditure by differen- 2207 tiating the case from previous cases; and whether an application involving public expenditure is held by the auditor to be validly acceded to when made by one of the Treasury's own officials under its direction?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The Comptroller and Auditor-General will make such report, as he deems fit, when the matter comes before him in due course, as prescribed by the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act. As I have already pointed out to the hon. Member, the expenditure was incurred to carry out the desire of a Select Committee of this House.