§ Colonel C. LOWTHERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion the following groups of expenditure bear to the total daily national expenditure of nearly £8,000,000 a day: total pay, pensions, and allowances paid to the Army and Navy; total salaries, pay, pensions, and allowances paid to all other Government employés, including Civil servants; and total expenditure on all supplies and material actually occasioned by war, distinguishing between our expenditure within the country and outside the country?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAs I announced yesterday, a statement is being prepared, and will be circulated shortly, giving so far as possible a full explanation of the items which make up the current national expenditure. It would not, however, be possible to give the details asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend.
§ Colonel LOWTHERIs there any prospect in the near future of a reduction in the daily expenditure in view of the fact that America, the richest country in the world, has joined the Allies and naturally will be called upon to help to finance them?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI hope and believe that we may look for a reduction in the recent expenditure in the next few weeks, but I have no hope whatever of a reduction in the Estimates.
§ Mr. GINNELLCan the right hon. Gentleman inform the House whether he and the Government think the majority of the people in this country still believe they are getting value for the £8,000,000 a day?
§ Mr. DAVID MASONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the statement to which he has just referred will include the proportion of the advances made to our Allies and Dominions?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI cannot promise to give details of that kind. The object of 1613 the statement is to explain, as far as I can, the difference between the Estimate and the amount actually spent.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWOf course, they are included in it.