§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that out of the fifteen Members of this House whom it is intended to propose as members of the Steamship Companies Subsidies Committee nine hold among them forty-two directorships in public companies, and of these nine gentlemen one is the chairman of the Clan Line Steamers, Limited, and another a director of the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, Limited; and whether he will consider the expediency of altering the nomination of the Committee in such a manner as to give directors of companies a less proportion of representation on the Committee.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not think it is within my duty to inquire into the number of directorships held by Members serving on Committees of the House. With regard to that part of the Question which refers to the chairman of the Clan Line Steamers and a director of the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, I presume that the hon. Gentleman will not suggest that it is either possible or desirable to have excluded from these Committees hon. Members having special acquaintance with the subject under discussion.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLBut ought not these Committees to be more or less official in their form?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is not the Question on the Paper.