§ MR. DAVID THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give an assurance that, should definite proposals, upon which the colonies may be generally agreed, be submitted to His Majesty's Government in favour of the establishment of a system of mutual trade preference within the Empire, the House of Commons will be consulted before the Government is committed by any expression of approval to such a policy.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI am unable to give answers to hypothetical questions.