§ Mr. A. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the expenses of the returning officers or their deputies in all the Parliamentary Divisions at the last General Election have been paid; if not, how many are still unpaid: and what is the reason for the delay?
§ Mr. BALDWINThere are, in respect of England, Wales, and Scotland, 229 of these accounts, of which twenty-three are still unpaid, most of them being the subject of correspondence. It must be remembered that they are accompanied by a mass of detail, with vouchers, involving careful examinations and queries. Moreover, some of the accounts have not yet been rendered and some were only received during the present month; while in other cases, in which the accounts were received earlier, there has been a failure, sometimes for months, to reply to queries. No unnecessary delay has occurred in the Treasury.