The Budget Leakage The Government has been pressed very hard
to discover the source of the Budget " leakage," but no harder than, the importance of the event justifies. That the Budget should become a means to speculation in the form of a safe bet based on information 'improperly secured has gravely shaken public confidence in a narrow circle of persons whose integrity should be above suspicion, the more so since hitherto Budget secrets have. beeri so scrupulously guarded. It is essential that the Government should exert every effort either to remove suspicion or to turn it into certainty by tracing the leakage to its source. So far, it has been content to leave the inquiry in the hands of the Committee of Lloyd's, but there are obvious limitations upon the Committee's power of getting at the truth, even though it has wide power over the actual underwriters—the pro- priety of whose actions has at no time been called in question. If, as seems likely at present, these limitations prevent the Committee from prosecuting the enquiry with the thoroughness it deserves, the Govern- ment should not shrink from setting up a Select Com- mittee with the power of summoning witnesses and taking evidence on oath. No matter who may be involved, the facts must, if by any means possible, be brought to light.
* .*
Previous page
