§ MR. LOUIS SINCLAIR. (Essex, Rom-ford)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will consider the desirability of the appointment of a Minister of Commerce, or of such a reform of the Board of Trade as to meet the demands of the commercial community of this country, that questions of trade and commerce shall be administered by a Minister equipped with greater powers.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIn answer to the Question of my hon. friend, I have to say that I think I have indicated on previous occasions, and in reply to Questions from other quarters of the House, that I do not see that the position of the Board of Trade could be dealt with in isolation or apart from the general consideration of the position of the various Government offices. I am nor quite sure whit additional powers my hon. friend refers to in the last paragraph of his Question.