§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if, having regard to the opinion given by the Law Officers of the Crown at the instance of the Ottawa Conference that while the Colonies and Dependencies of the Empire are absolutely free to make any preferential commercial arrangements between themselves, the Mother Country is debarred by a clause in the Treaties with Belgium and the Zollverein from accepting any proposals made by the Colonies for the preferential purchase of the products of Great Britain and Ireland, the Prime Minister and the Government will during the Recess consider the best means of relieving the United Kingdom from such trading disability within the British Empire?
§ MR. BRYCEIn reply to the question of my hon. Friend, which ought to have been addressed to the Leader of the House rather than to myself, I can only say that the subject he raises cannot be duly considered by the Government until they have received the full Report of the proceedings of the recent Ottawa Conference.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTWill the right hon. Gentleman, who is responsible for the trade of the country, undertake that the matter shall be brought before the Government after the Recess?
§ MR. BRYCEIt is obvious that the proceedings of the Conference will come before the Government; but the hon. Member ought to have put this question to the Leader of the House.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTHe is not here.