§ Lieut.-Colonel McDONNELLasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the object of printing at the end of the Estimates for Colonial Services (Civil Service Estimates, 1925–26, Class V, Vote 2, page 52) a list entitled extra receipts payable to His Majesty's Ex- 1150W chequer (cash); whether the items in this list are in the nature of a return on expenditure included in the Estimates of Colonial Services for previous years; and whether it is intended to indicate that in order to arrive at the net estimated expenditure on this service the total of £1,216,207 should be reduced by the total of extra receipts amounting to £261,573?
Mr. GUINNESSThe primary purpose of the Estimate is to indicate what sum of money Parliament is requested to Vote under the head Colonial Services. Where, in addition to making a supply grant, Parliament is asked to authorise the application of receipts towards meeting expenditure, those receipts are described as appropriations-in-aid and are shown as such in the Estimate which thus exhibits a net figure. All other receipts are paid direct to the Exchequer and are called extra receipts. They do not affect the total of the Vote in any way, and they are mentioned only to complete the statistical information given to Parliament. The need for such statistical information arises from the fact that for several reasons the net expenditure in connection with a particular service does not correspond precisely to the net total of the Vote. For example, there is a superannuation charge in connection with Colonial Services, estimated at £14,097, but the House does not vote that money under the head "Colonial Services," as it prefers to vote all superannuation charges under a single head elsewhere (Class VI, Vote I, Superannuation and Retired Allowances).
Thus the Estimate for 1925–26 shows:
The extra receipts, with the exception of three small items totalling £706, arise in respect of loans and advances made in connection with Colonial Services in past years.
- (a) That Parliament is requested to make a supply grant of £1,216,2077 under the head Colonial Services and that there are no appropriations-in-aid.
- (b) That the estimated total expenditure in connection with the service is £1,245,304 (see foot of page 51) and the estimated total receipts £261,573 (page 52).