I move:—
That a sum not exceeding £5,000 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1961, for Secret Service.
Additional Estimate, 1960-61. - Vote 15—Secret Service.
Can the Minister say if the Secret Service operates for just one Department, his own, or all Departments?
The Minister for Finance is the Minister concerned. Any Department which wants money for Secret Service purposes must get the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, and the Minister for Finance pays it.
The Secret Service may operate for any particular Department or any particular Minister?
Provided the two Ministers agree.
Two Ministers, but I do not think that one need necessarily be the Minister for Finance.
Is there still any necessity for a Secret Service? I have no idea what they do and I know the Minister cannot tell me much about them.
The Estimate is going up this year.
At this stage, can the Minister give any details as to the break-up of this sum and as to what has been spent in respect of this Department, that Department or the other Department?
I do not think I can go into details, but there are two Departments where most of this money is spent, the Department of Justice and the Department of Defence.
Can the Minister give any reason for the increase of £1,500 in the Estimate?
The cost of living has gone up!
The cat will escape before we are finished.
A sum of money is paid out to these Departments I mentioned and any unexpended money is given back at the end of the year. Last year, when this Estimate was being prepared, it looked to me as if it was hardly enough, but I found when the accounts were made up that actually there was less spent than in the year before. More is surrendered if less is spent. I do not think that the fact that we are asking for more this year means that more will be spent. I do not think it will be.
It is pathetic that the poor Secret Service suffer from the cost of living just like everyone else.
Vote put and agreed to.