§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether 594 he is aware that eleven Members of the present Cabinet hold among them no fewer than seventeen company directorships; that fifteen Ministers of the Crown, without seats in the Cabinet, hold among them twenty-five company directorships; and that two have since their admission to the Government, accepted the position of company director; and whether, seeing that in several instances Ministers of the Crown are directors of public companies between whom and the Departments of State there are contracts of large pecuniary interest, he will take any, and if so what, steps to secure in the present Administration a separation of the offices of Minister of the Crown and company director, as was the case in the last Government of Mr. Gladstone and in that of Lord Rosebery.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have answered questions on this subject—I think it was in answer to the hon. Member—twice in 1895, three times in 1898, and twice in 1899, and I have also made long and elaborate speeches on the subject. I really have nothing to add.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLMay I point out that since the right hon. Gentleman expressed his opinion on the subject matters have changed by an accession of directors to the Treasury Bench?