§ 47. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether the Committee of Inquiry into Government Expenditure will examine into the expenditure on the fighting services; whether it will have the assistance of expert and technical advice; and whether the proposal to combine the War Office, Admiralty, and Air Ministry into one Ministry of Defence will be examined?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Willesden, East (Mr. D. G. Somerville).
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question, which was not dealt with in that answer?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe last part of the question would obviously depend upon the terms of reference, and that is one of the things I referred to in the answer I gave yesterday.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYI am sorry to press my right hon. Friend, but is he aware that this is very largely a question of policy, and I want to know whether the Committee will be bound in any way by policy?
§ Rear-Admiral BEAMISHWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is a proposal for the amalgamation of these three Ministries?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROh, that proposal has been floating about for years.