§ 50. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that a new Government staff is being set up, called the Economic General Staff, for which expenditure will be incurred this financial year, in what form this expenditure will be sanctioned before the end of the financial year?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENI presume the hon. and gallant Member refers to the expenditure during the current financial year in respect of the Economic Advisory Council. This expenditure, which will be quite small, will be met from funds already available on the Treasury Vote.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this small expenditure sets up a committee even more important than the analogous Committee, the Committee of Imperial Defence; and is not this rather a backstairs method of setting up a, new Government Department?
§ Mr. SNOWDENIf it be a backstairs method of setting up a new Government Department, it is following precisely the precedent of the previous Government when they set up the Committee of Civil Research.
§ Captain BOURNEWould the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of presenting a Supplementary Estimate in the form of a token Vote, so that the House may have an opportunity of expressing an opinion on it?
§ Mr. SNOWDENNo, Sir.