HC Deb 17 June 1903 vol 123 cc1182-4
MR. LABOUCHERE

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in the inquiry by the Government as to the advisability of taxing food, oral evidence will be received; and, if so, before whom and by whom such evidence will be heard; whether the inquiry will commence before the prorogation of Parliament; and, if so, whether a Supplementary Vote will be taken for its cost; whether any portion of the inquiry will devolve on the Treasury.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

Certainly I trust that those who look into this matter will not confine themselves to written communications, and if they do not, it is clear that oral communications will be included. I told the hon. Member yesterday that the persons responsible for the inquiry are the Cabinet. The inquiry will certainly commence before the prorogation, and of course has commenced already, and there is no question of a future date. It is now engaging the attention of the Government. I have no reason to believe that a Supplementary Vote will be required; and of course the Treasury, in common with other Departments concerned, will give the best assistance it can to the Government in the prosecution of this investigation.

MR. LABOUCHERE

Is it intended to publish the oral communications and the written communications that are sent to the Departments receiving them?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)

As we understand this inquiry, it is for the purpose of informing the people of this country, and not the members of the Cabinet only. May I ask what steps will be taken and what course will be followed in order to communicate to the nation the nature and effect of the evidence obtained?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

That is a question which is evidently premature. The object of the present investigation is first to enable those at present responsible for the government of the country to deal with a very complicated problem, By what means the discussion in public and the information of the public is to be managed at a subsequent period does not arise now.

SIR. H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

Then the first stage of the inquiry is solely for the information of the Cabinet?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

Of course it is.

MR. LABOUCHERE

May I ask whether the President of the Council was wrong in saying a day or two ago somewhere, while advocating a public inquiry, that if the question were kept to the end it would have to be submitted to an unprepared Party and to unprepared constituencies, and, if so, how the right hon. Gentleman meets that.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I do not understand the point of the hon. Member's question.

MR. LLOYD GEORGE (Carnarvon Boroughs)

Is the whole question to be referred to a Committee of the Cabinet, or will it be considered by the Government as a whole?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have gone far beyond what is usual in explaining the course which we intend to pursue. Hon. Gentlemen opposite seem to think that this is the first time in British history that a Cabinet has ever inquired into anything. I can assure them that that is a mistake; and I am not aware that this inquiry differs from previous inquiries conducted by this or by previous Governments on questions at least equally important.

MR. LABOUCHERE

Is this a secret inquiry or is it not?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It is secret precisely to the same extent as, and no further than, all similar inquiries undertaken by other Governments in the past.

*SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)

Then does the Prime Minister reject the idea of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that it must not be a secret inquiry?

*MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! That is obviously referring to a debate in the House of Lords.

MR. LABOUCHERE

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the inquiry into the proposed new fiscal arrangements with the self-governing colonies is to be limited to the expediency of a duty upon food supplies from them entering the United Kingdom; or whether it is to embrace the consideration of allowing any of their raw materials being also taxed on entry.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I do not propose to suggest any limitations.