HC Deb 11 July 1957 vol 573 cc603-5

Resolutions reported, 1. Whereas it appears by the Navy Appropriation Account for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1956, that the aggregate Expenditure on Navy Services has not exceeded the aggregate sums appropriated for those Services and that, as shown in the Schedule hereto appended, the net surplus of the Exchequer Grants for Navy Services over the net Expenditure is £9,399,195 11s. 6d., viz.:—

£ s. d.
Total Surpluses … 10,387,490 7 6
Total Deficits … 988,294 16 0
Net Surplus … £9,399,195 11 6
And whereas the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have temporarily authorised:
  1. (1) the application of so much of the realised surplus on Vote 10 for Navy Services as is necessary to meet the net deficit of £1,620 15s. 4d. on Vote 15 that would otherwise have been met by issues out of the Consolidated Fund under the Armed Forces (Housing Loans) Acts, 1949 and 1952.
  2. (2) the application of so much of the remainder of the said total surpluses on certain Grants for Navy Services as is necessary to make good the remainder of the said total deficits on other Grants for Navy Services.
 1. That the application of such sums be sanctioned. II. Whereas it appears by the Army Appropriation Account for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1956, that the aggregate Expenditure on Army Services has not exceeded the aggregate sums appropriated for those Services and that, as shown in the Schedule hereto appended, the net surplus of the Exchequer Grants for Army Services over the net Expenditure is £8,481,349 9s. 1d., viz.:—

£ s. d.
Total Surpluses … 26,515,975 6 8
Total Deficits … 18,034,625 17 7
Net Surplus … £8,481,349 9 1

And whereas the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have temporarily authorised:

  1. (1) the application of so much of the realised surplus on Vote 8 for Army Services as is necessary to meet the net deficit of £1,179,464 4s. 7d. on Vote 11 that would otherwise have been met by issues out of the Consolidated Fund under the Armed Forces (Housing Loans) Acts, 1949 and 1953.
  2. (2) the application of so much of the remainder of the said total surpluses on certain Grants for Army Services as is necessary to make good the remainder of the said total deficits on other Grants for Army Services.

2. That the application of such sums be sanctioned. III. Whereas it appears by the Air Appropriation Account for the year ended the 31st day of March, 1956, that the aggregate Expenditure on Air Services has not exceeded the aggregate sums appropriated for those Services and that, as shown in the Schedule hereto appended, the net surplus of the Exchequer Grants for Air Services over the net Expenditure is £76,660,356 6s. 4d. viz.:—

£ s. d.
Total Surpluses … 95,460,215 17 9
Total Deficits … 18,799,859 11 5
Net Surplus … £76,660,356 6 4
And whereas the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury have temporarily authorised:
  1. (1) the application of so much of the realised surplus on Vote 8 for Air Services as is necessary to meet the net deficit of £3,090,933 12s. 10d. on Vote 11 that would otherwise have been met by issues out of the Consolidated Fund under the Armed Forces (Housing Loans) Acts, 1949 and 1953.
  2. (2) The application of so much of the remainder of the said total surpluses on certain Grants for Air Services as is necessary to make good the remainder of the said total deficits on other Grants for Air Services.

3. That the application of such sums he sanctioned.

[For details see OFFICIAL REPORT, 9th July, 1957; Vol. 573, c. 306–324.]

First and Second Resolutions agreed to.

Third Resolution read a Second time.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House doth agree with the Committee in the said Resolution.

5.55 p.m.

Mr. A. G. Bottomley (Rochester and Chatham)

The Financial Secretary will remember that, during the Committee stage, my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith) raised the general question of public accountability, and my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Mr. Fienburgh) raised the same point also and made the suggestion that the Select Committee might look at the matter. Has the Financial Secretary anything to say about that?

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. J. Enoch Powell)

The hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith) has, since that debate, put down a Question to my right hon. Friend the First Lord, and I ought not to anticipate my right hon. Friend's reply. The debate has obviously drawn his attention to the arguments.

Question put and agreed to.