§ 8.0 p.m.
§ Mr. John D. GrantI beg to move Amendment No. 21, in page 5, line 14, after 'may', insert:
'with the consent of the House of Commons and after full scrutiny of all the Royal finances by a Select Committee of the House'.I can move this Amendment almost formally because the remarks I made on the preceding Amendment apply equally to this one, which is concerned very much with the question of scrutiny and control.
§ Mr. BarberI can respond briefly because the Amendment is self-explanatory. It proposes the setting up of a Select Committee each time there is to be scrutiny of the Royal finances. I speak with considerable personal feeling when I say that one Select Committee on the Civil List in each reign is enough for anyone.
Without going into the matter in greater detail, I need simply add that in my view the safeguards we have are adequate without a Select Committee. First, there is the report of the Royal Trustees: second, the initiative in each case lies with the Government of the day; and third, no increase can be made against the wishes of the House of Commons.
With this explanation I hope that, having made the point, the hon. Member for Islington, East (Mr. John D. Grant) will not feel it necessary to press the Amendment to a Division.
§ Amendment negatived.
§ Clause 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
§ Clauses 7 and 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
§ Schedule agreed to.
§ Bill reported, without Amendment.
§ Motion made, and Question, That the Bill be now read the Third time, put forthwith pursuant to Standing Order No. 56 (Third Reading), and agreed to.
§ Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed.