§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with his circular letter dated 13th May, 1921, calling upon Government Departments to reduce public expenditure, he will state what saving to the public funds would be effected by the immediate abolition of the expenditure caused by the retention of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic)?
Mr. YOUNGAs stated in an answer given on the 1st March by the former Leader of the House to the hon. Member for Ilford (Mr. Wise), the operations of the Control Board are resulting in a financial gain to the State, since the surplus annually accruing from the Board's direct control undertakings at Carlisle and elsewhere exceeds, and has for some time exceeded, the whole of the expenditure of the Board upon all other purposes or branches of its work whatsoever. The form of the current estimate which makes provision under a single total for both capital and ordinary administrative expenditure may possibly obscure the actual position which the answer above referred to was intended to make perfectly clear.