On a point of order, Mr. Chair, and I've brought this up numerous times in the past, there are certain questions that witnesses aren't able to answer. I refer to pages 1068-1069 in chapter 20 of O'Brien and Bosc; it says:
...committees ordinarily accept the reasons that a public servant gives for declining to answer a specific question or series of questions which involve the giving of a legal opinion, which may be perceived as a conflict with the witness’ responsibility to the Minister, which are outside of their own area of responsibility, or which might affect business transactions.
I think in this situation, budget questions are outside the area of responsibility of General Hood and his colleagues.