§ 54. Mr. G. LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will consider the appointment of a Select Committee of this House, with power to take evidence, for the purpose of estimating the amount of public expenditure that this country can reasonably afford, taking its income into account?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not think that the appointment of such a Committee would lead to any useful result.
§ Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONHave the Government made any estimate as to what approximately is the national expenditure?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe work suggested for this Committee is precisely the work that has to be done by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONAre the figures used as a basis for all Government expenditure?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not follow what my hon. Friend means.
§ Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONHave the Government got the figures showing what the national income is, and are those figures used as a basis for what the Government ought to spend on public purposes?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe Government have not formed the idea that they are able to take the whole of the national income.