§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury how the inquiry into the relative advantages and disadvantages of a fundamental change in our fiscal system, involving the taxation of all food stuffs from foreign sources and their free entry from our self-governing colonies is to be pursued; whether it is to be an official inquiry; if so, to whom it is to be entrusted, and to whom inquiry is to be addressed, and how long is it expected to last; and whether an opportunity will speedily be given for the constituencies to express their opinions in regard to the contemplated change, in order to limit as far as possible the injury to trade and commerce which a lengthy uncertainty might produce.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe inquiry will, of course, be conducted by His Majesty's Government and on the responsibility of that Government.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREBy the Board of Trade?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt will be conducted by the Government on its own responsibility.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREBy what Department? By the Board of Trade? And what will be the form of the inquiry? Will it be by Royal Commission?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am sorry that I have been so obscure. It will not be by Royal Commission, or by Committee of this House, or by a Departmental Committee. It will not be concerned with any one Department.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)Will the Proceedings and the Report be published?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Member below the Gangway has never served in the Cabinet, but the right hon. Gentleman has; and he must know that inquiries of this sort conducted by a Cabinet do not necessarily lead to a Report.
§ MR. TREVELYAN (Yorkshire, W.R., Elland)Is it wholly to enable the Cabinet to make up its mind?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe inquiry is in order that the Cabinet and the House and the country may be informed. These are really most extraordinary Questions. I do not object to them. I rather like them. Hon. Members show extraordinary ignorance as to the ordinary methods by which the proceedings, legislative and administrative, of the Government are carried on. Most of them are preceded by Government inquiry, and the House of Commons and the country are at the proper time taken into the confidence of the Government.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSON (Cornwall, Camborne)Is it intended that the inquiry shall be completed before the General Election?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs I do not know the length of the inquiry nor the time when the General Election will take place, I am not in a position to answer the Question.