§ 62. Captain NORTHasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the statements of the Committee on National Expenditure, in paragraphs 40 and 571 of their report, that their attention could only be concentrated on selected aspects of the national expenditure, and that further action was needed if retrenchment were not to give way to expansion in expenditure, it is the intention of the Government to carry out those recommendations of this committee not yet inplemented; and, if not, what method is to be adopted to achieve further major economies in national expenditure?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Major Elliot)As regards paragraph 40 of the report on National Expenditure I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that, although the committee confined their attention in the main to certain selected aspects of national expenditure, they stated that they satisfied themselves that the maximum amount of possible savings on the smaller Votes which they did not consider in detail was relatively insignificant. These smaller Votes have in fact been carefully reviewed, and the reductions made are incorporated in the Estimates now before the House. As regards paragraph 571, in which the committee stated that they feared that retrenchment might soon give way to expansion unless further steps were taken, I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that there is no danger of such a reversal of policy taking place in present circumstances. As regards the remaining parts of the question, the House has already been informed that the possibility of further economies is continuously engaging the attention of the Government and no opportunity of securing all possible reductions of public expenditure will be overlooked.