§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if the taking of evidence before the Departmental Committee he has appointed to consider the importation of prison-made goods will be open to the Press and to the public, as in the case of a Select 34 Committee or Royal Commission; if the evidence will be laid upon the Table; and, if in order to prevent delay, he will invite the Committee to sit as continuously as possible, and submit their Report before the Whitsuntide recess?
§ MR. BRYCEAs the hon. and gallant Member has, on reconsideration, been good enough to accept the seat on the Committee which I offered him, he will now have a voice in the determination of the points raised in his question. They are points for the Committee to deal with, but I understand the Committee propose to take evidence publicly.
§ COLONEL HOWARD VINCENTMay I ask if the right hon. Gentleman quite understands that I have only accepted his courteously-expressed invitation to join the Committee in order, if possible, to hasten its deliberations and report in time for legislation this Session, and that I still hold the view, and retain my liberty to express it, that the appointment of a Committee was unnecessary, calculated to cause delay, and in direct contravention of the unanimous decision of the House.
§ MR. BRYCEMy hon. Friend retains the largest liberty to influence the deliberations of the Committee.