HC Deb 08 July 1903 vol 125 cc22-3
MR. GIBSON BOWLES

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, in view of the fact that the proceedings of the conferences between the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Prime Ministers of self-governing colonies, which took place in June to August, 1902, have hitherto been treated as confidential, and that only the statements made by His Majesty's Government thereat and the various Resolutions passed were made public, will His Majesty's Government publish the full report of the proceedings of these conferences, setting forth the special difficulties and considerations which affected the members of the conference in the practical consideration of the different subjects, before inviting public discussion of the proposals embodied in certain Resolutions therein agreed to relative to preferential trade within the Empire.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

Perhaps my hon. friend will allow me to refer him to an answer given by my right hon. friend the Colonial Secretary to the hon. Member for Dundee on June 19th. It is to the effect that the matter was fully considered at the time, and that the Government are not aware of any circumstances which have arisen likely to induce the gentlemen who objected to publication to modify their views.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

was understood to ask if some such course was not desirable in view of the discussion now going on in the country.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

This is not a new subject at all. The Blue-book has long been in the hands of Members, and having been published and circulated, is of course open to discussion.

MR. EDMUND ROBERTSON (Dundee)

May I ask whether the unpublished account of the proceedings will be laid before the Cabinet in the course of the inquiry which it is undertaking?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

There are no secrets of this kind kept from the Cabinet.