Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-16


Gladstone in 1861 and the Select
Committee on Estimates set up in
1912. This machinery, organized
when the annual budget was mere
fraction of that presented last April
and the entire governmental organi-
cation about the size Of modern
city administration, has remained
virtually unchanged.
Studies Past Spending
The Public Accounts Committee
by far the more important-con-
sists of Is members from both
parties under the Craftsmanship Of
a prominent member of the oppo-
sition-often an ex-financial sec
rotary to the treasury. 1t methodi-
cally examines the money already
spent to determine whether it was
used for the purpose intended by
law. Its method is to concentrate
on one government department at
a time, covering thoroughly the
major establishments once every
few years.
The Committee has a single
clerk, but it also utilizes the staff
services of the controller and
auditor general. an officer Of the
House Of Commons whose duty is to
audit the accounts of the govern
ment departments and report to
the Commons.
Sitting every week usually from
February to August. the commit
tee questions in detail the highest
permanent officials and they hold
these sessions in great respect. If
civil servants exceed their author
ity or use money for purposes other
than intended their careers can
quickly be ruined.
The Public Accounts Committees
chief defect is that 1t is examining
expenses incurred nearly two years
earlier. Former cabinet ministers
believe that the committees ac-
counting operation should be ex-
panded so that it could examine
more departments regularly instead
Of covering a limited number once
every few years.
The committee labors under a
further disadvantage as it is not
authorized to investigate the &C
counts of the great nationalized
industries - coal. electricity. rail-
ways. etc. Then, too. some question
whether an annual accounting
check-up is adequate for long,
range projects with expenditures
spread over several years.
But despite its limitations. M. P.s
regard the Public Accounts Com
mittee as efficient and of vital i'm
portance. Its investigation of un-
economic expenditures and extrav-
agance was particularly useful dur
ing the last war.
Policy Is opposed
The Estimates Committee, with
SO members split among the parties.
is appointed annually to examine
proposed expenditures and recon-
ment economies consistent with pol
ICY. It's five subcommittee meet
weekly from January and the full
committee, under the Craftsmanship
Of a member of the party in power,
issues its reports during the sum-
mer.
The committee cannot consider
policy matters. hence in practice 1t
can only advise on broad principles
of management and economic ad-
ministration. To take a minor IL
lustration. It would inquire whether
in constructing Army barracks, es-
Inmates we're received from a suf-
ficient number Of contractors but
1t wouldn't concern itself whether
the barracks should have had more
recreation rooms.
Since the committee operates
with half a dozen clerks and no
other permanent staff, its scope
of activity is limited. High civil
servants appear before 1t to answer
questions and explain appropria-
tons. AS result Of It's reports to
the Commons. the government usu-
ally issues a reply concerning the
committees proposals and some
times these provoke debates. Two
recent reports that attracted atten-
ton concerned the procurement OF
military aircraft and the construc-
ton Of civil airports.
The Estimates Committee is gen.
orally regarded as considerably less
effective than the Public Accounts
Committee.
Many authorities doubt its USE
fulness for several reasons. 1t can
not deal with financial policy and
so is unable to influence current
estimates. II Is handicapped BY
lack OF an invcstigative staff and
by the M. Ps ignorance OF tech
nical financial problems. That the
little time available for the vast
task Of checking the estimates pre-
pared In February and voted on
shortly thereafter means that in