HC Deb 21 July 1959 vol 609 cc1085-6

[25TH ALLOTTED DAY]

Considered in Committee.

[Sir CHARLES MACANDREW in the Chair]

CIVIL ESTIMATES AND SUPPLE MENTARY ESTIMATE, 1959–60; ESTIMATES FOR REVENUE DEPARTMENTS, 1959–60; MINISTRY OF DEFENCE ESTI MATE,1959–60;NAVY ESTIMATES; ARMY ESTI MATES; AIR ESTIMATES AND SUPPLEMENTARY ESTI MATE, 1959–60

Resolved, That a sum, not exceeding £3,052,676, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1960, for expenditure in respect of the Services included in the following Civil Estimates, viz:

Civil Estimates, 1959–60
£
£ Class II, Vote 4 (Commonwealth Relations Office) 1,913,134
Class II. Vote 7 (Colonial Office) 1,139,542
Total £3,052,676
Mr. Ellis Smith (Stoke-on-Trent, South)

Can we have an explanation of what we are doing now, Sir Charles?

The Chairman

That Vote has been agreed to by the Committee. This one was taken formally so that it will be the one to be discussed first on Report.

Mr. Ellis Smith

Does it mean that it is automatically going through?

The Chairman

It has gone through.

Mr. Ellis Smith

Does it mean that this Vote, covering an expenditure of millions of pounds, which has not been examined in detail, has automatically gone through?

The Chairman

Nobody challenged it when I put the Question.

Mr. Ellis Smith

I am challenging it now, Sir Charles.

The Chairman

I have collected the voices.

Mr. Ellis Smith

Yes, Sir Charles, but you did it very quickly. I am not being critical, because I have a great respect for the Chair, which works very efficiently, but we must be on our guard as well. I admit that I was a little bit slow, but I should now like to know what is the position.

The Chairman

I am sorry if I went quickly, but I always do. The point is quite simple. This Vote can be discussed on Report on Wednesday. It has been put down as the first one on the Order Paper so as to get it to the top of the list.

Mr. Ellis Smith

Thank you, Sir Charles. That has brought that out.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum, not exceeding £165,518,079, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1960, for expenditure in respect of the Services included in the following Civil Estimates, viz.:

CIVIL ESTIMATES AND SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATE, 1959–60
£
Class VIII, Vote 1 (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) 12,472,115
Class VIII, Vote 2 (Agricultural and Food Grants and Subsidies) (including a Supplementary sum of £225,020) 128,223,200
Class VIII, Vote 11 (Department of Agriculture for Scotland) 24,822,764
Total £165,518,079