§ 37. Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Lord President of the Council if he will request the Services Committee to consider the appointment of a Parliamentary accountant to assess, at the request of hon. Members, the presentation of financial statistics and estimates submitted to the House by Ministers in answers, questions and in speeches.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe Library Sub-Committee is at present engaged in an inquiry about long-term plans for the Library, and the question of the addition of a Parliamentary accountant to the Library staff to help Members might well be considered in connection with this inquiry.
§ Mr. MillsHas the right hon. Gentleman studied the way in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer presents Government figures for expenditure, based on the comic proposition of prices at 1964 levels? Is he aware that the Defence Secretary also produces figures in an equally comical way? Will the right hon. Gentleman look at this in consultation with the Committee in order to provide some method by which Ministers can be stopped from juggling with published figures?
§ Mr. CrossmanThe hon. Gentleman's Question on the Order Paper was a serious Question to which I gave a serious Answer. His supplementary question was not serious.