§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a sum, not exceeding £97 1s. 5d., be granted to His Majesty, to make good an Excess on the Grant for the Privy Council Office for the year ended 31st day of March, 1932:
| Amount to be Voted. | ||||
| Class I. | £ | s. | d. | |
| Vote 5. Privy Council Office | … | 97 | 1 | 5" |
§ 6.25 p.m.
§ Captain AUSTIN HUDSON (Lord of the Treasury)The Committee would probably like a short explanation of this Excess Vote. It is entirely due to the falling off of receipts from judicial fees which we discussed on Monday evening in a different connection, during the Committee stage of the Supplementary Estimates. Bad trade seems to make for less litigation. Whether that is good or bad it is not for me to say, but the actual position is that the deficiency on the Appropriations-in-Aid under this bead is £312 17s. 11d. Savings have been affected, however, amounting to £215 16s. 6d., leaving the sum of £97 1s. 5d. covered by this Vote. An Excess Vote is necessary when the excess does not become apparent until it is too late for a Supplementary Estimate. In this case the receipts, up to December, 1931, were actually £100 higher, and the Department therefore cannot be blamed for having to bring in this Excess Vote. The House has laid down certain procedure in regard to excesses. First, the matter has to be brought before the Public Accounts Committee and that Committee makes a special report to Parliament. The report dealing with this case is now in the Vote Office. We then move the Vote in supply and the sum is included in the Consolidated Fund Bill in March.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.
§ Committee to sit again upon Monday next.