HL Deb 31 May 1916 vol 22 cc268-9

Order of the Day read for the consideration of the First Report of the Select Committee, which was as follows—

That the Committee have met and have considered the Report of the subcommittee of last session and have approved of their recommendation, viz.: that a qualified chartered accountant should be appointed to audit the accounts of the caterer, Mr. Casbon, for one year terminating on the 1st of July, 1916; and the Committee recommend that the sum of £126 should be paid to such accountant out of the Fee Fund of the House of Lords for his services up to the 1st January, 1916.

Moved, That the Report of the Select Committee be considered.—(Lord Muir-Mackenzie.)

LORD DEVONPORT

Is this payment to the auditor a new payment or an annual payment?

LORD MUIR-MACKENZIE

It is a payment on account of work that has been actually done by an auditor appointed by the Committee to see how the accounts of the caterer have been carried out under recent arrangements that have been made on your Lordships' authority by that Committee.

LORD DEVONPORT

Then the payment has already been made?

LORD MUIR-MACKENZIE

Yes, it has been made so far; and at the next meeting of the Committee it will probably be proposed to pay the same auditor for the work done up to the date when the Committee meets.

LORD DEVONPORT

I assume from that statement that this is the case of an auditor being called in to render a particular and special service, and that this is not to be an annual audit. If it were, I was going to suggest that the remuneration is inordinately large for the amount of auditing that would have to be done. I am not very familiar with what goes on in your Lordships' dining room, but I would venture to say that very few dinners take place there. There may be some few teas, and possibly the lunches of a legal Lord or two. To pay £126 for an audit of this kind is an extravagance which we might pass on this one and only occasion; but if it were proposed to repeat it I should oppose it vigorously and even divide against it. I should have thought an auditor would have been well remunerated for such work as would be required in this case if he received 25 guineas.

On Question, Report considered and agreed to.