HC Deb 09 May 1939 vol 347 cc312-3W
Sir W. Smithers

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has taken any special steps to draw the attention of all spending Departments, both of Government and of local authorities, to the fact that new internal projects for major additions to expenditure are not in the present circumstances possible?

Sir J. Simon

I think my hon. Friend may rest assured that all Government Departments are well aware of the statement which I made in my Budget Speech. As regards local authorities, I would repeat the assurance, which I gave in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for South-West St. Pancras (Sir G. Mitcheson) on 31st January, that all proposals for expenditure which require sanction by a Government Department are carefully examined; but, as I then pointed out, economy in current administration is to a large extent the responsibility of the elected representatives of the ratepayers.