§ 89. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he can state the net savings effected by departmental economies carried out since the introduction of the last Budget; and whether such economies have been in any way affected and, if so, how, by any estimated rise in prices in the coming year?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Major Elliot)I am not quite certain that I have correctly appreciated the point to which my hon. Friend refers. If he has in mind the progress of the economies outlined in the White Paper (Command Paper 3952), I have every reason to hope that the estimates will be substantially realised, though it would be premature to attempt to give any exact figures. As regards the last part of the question, direct expenditure on stores, material and foodstuffs is not a large part of the Budget and the effect of any probable rise in prices is unlikely seriously to disturb the estimates.