§ 48. Mr. WILLIAM NICHOLSONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the report, published and circulated in August, 1932, of the Public Accounts Committee with reference to the expenditure by the late Government, in anticipation of legislation, amounting, in one instance, to £300,000 incurred in one year in anticipation of Parliamentary authority which was not in fact given; and whether he will introduce legislation to make illegal the expenditure by a Government Department of money which requires specific statutory authorisation in anticipation of such authorisation?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir, I have read the report of the Public Accounts Committee on this matter. The views of the Board of Treasury will be published in due course in the Treasury Minute on the report. I am in general agreement with the observations of the committee, which did not apparently think that fresh legislation was required, but pointed out the necessity of observing the principles of sound finance.
§ Mr. NICHOLSONCan the right hon. Gentleman give the names of the Ministers who were directly responsible for this irregularity?
§ Sir HENRY CAUTLEYI do not know why that supplementary question should not be answered. Can any steps be taken for the replacement of that money which has been improperly spent by those Ministers?
§ Sir H. CAUTLEYWhy not?