§ 46. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will consider transferring his responsibility for the Secret Service to the Minister of Defence.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Secret Service Vote is accounted for by the Treasury.
§ Mr. HughesDoes not the Prime Minister think that the Minister of Defence should have the same powers to reduce Secret Service expenditure as he has been given to reduce other defence expenditure, because if he had those powers we should succeed in reducing the swollen figure of £5 million to £3 million, which was the figure before the Tories took office?
§ The Prime MinisterThe sum has been constant for some years, and I think it would be right for the practice under which this sum is managed—it has been the same now for 80 years—to remain as it is.