Mr. PALMERasked the Minister of Transport whether the accounts of the North-Eastern Railway Company disclosing the payment by the company to himself of £50,000 have come or will come before the Board of Trade or the financial department of the Ministry of Transport; and, if so, has either Department passed the afore-mentioned payment?
§ Sir E. GEDDES:I am very much obliged to the hon. Member for giving me an opportunity to make this matter clear. The settlement in question was one made on an agreement come to between myself and the railway company in 1912, before the Government had any interest in the matter. The reply to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative. On my instructions the item was dissented from by the Ministry of Transport officials who examined the accounts. At my request, for reasons which the House will, I am sure, fully appreciate, the Treasury undertook to deal with this matter should it arise again.