12 FEBRUARY 1937, Page 3

Consideration of supplementary estimates always provides unlimited opportunities for sniping

at Ministers. On Tuesday Mr. Maxton was suspicious that " casual savings " achieved by the Office of Works should reach so large a total as £5,5oo and Mr. Kelly felt alarm at an item of £3,000 for minor alterations to Customs and Excise buildings. The most spirited discussion arose out of an inquiry by Mr. Maclaren as to the rental which the Government are paying for Lansdowne House, which was recently acquired for the pur- poses of office accommodation. To the general surprise, Mr. Hudson flatly refused to vouchsafe this information on the ground that disclosure would be detrimental to the public interest. It is generally a mistake when Ministers enshroud themselves in mystery and, to judge from the debate, this was no exception.