asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual grant made to the Government Hospitality Fund; how much has been spent out of such grant in each of the last two financial years; and whether any arrangement exists by which money not spent can be carried forward into subsequent years?
The Government Hospitality Fund receives money from the Exchequer as a grant-in-aid, and any balance unspent at the end of a financial yer is not surrendered to the Exchequer, but is carried forward into the next year. There is no fixed annual grant to the fund, but an estimate is presented to Parliament, when necessary, for the amount required to cover expenditure in the forthcoming financial year, less whatever balance may be in hand. No such Estimate was necessary in 1920–21 or 1921–22. The balance in the fund on the 31st March, 1920, was £164,567, the expenditure in 1920–21 was £32,524 and in 1921–22 approximately £73,600. In addition, in view of the size of the balance at, the end of 1920–21, which was more than sufficient for current requirements, the sum of £35,000 was surrendered to the Exchequer in March, 1921.