§ 39. Mr. MACLEANasked the Home Secretary the amount which the organisation for the maintenance of essential services mentioned by him at Isleworth is costing per month, and if any Supplementary Estimate will be submitted to meet the expense; and, if not, whether he can state to what Vote those expenses will be charged?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe total expenditure which is being incurred at present in this connection is estimated at approximately £l,000 per month. The expenditure of each of the Departments concerned is being charged to its own Vote, and it is not anticipated that any-Supplementary Estimate will be required on this account.
§ Mr. MACLEANWill the expenses of this organisation, which are being covered by several Departments, be set down in the Votes of each of these Departments specifically as money devoted to this particular organisation?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am afraid the hon. Member must ask the representative of the Treasury as to that. I am not responsible for the Estimates of other Departments. The Treasury look through them all.
§ Mr. MACLEANBut with regard to the Vote of the right hon. Gentleman's own Department, will his accountants see to it that the expenses which his Department has to bear on behalf of this organisation are stated specifically, so that we can have a definite Debate upon the expense of this organisation?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIn regard to the question of debates I must refer the hon. Member to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury or the Prime Minister. All I can say is that an officer of my Department, an officer of the Board of Trade and officers of other Departments are engaged on a certain amount of work in connection with supply and transport organisation, exactly as was the case under previous Governments, and if the hon. Member desires to raise the work of those officers I take it he can do that on my Vote, or the Board of Trade Vote, or Votes of the other Department.
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSMay I ask whether any money has been paid over to the Organisation for Maintenance of Supplies?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSOh, no. The hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Maclean) was questioning me about the official Government organisation.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSNo. It says the organisation for the maintenance of supplies.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe voluntary organisation to which the hon. Member refers in his supplementary question is not subsidised in any shape or form by the Government.
§ Mr. J. JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to say that the Government are not going to finance these people who volunteer service?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question ought to We put down.