§ MR. EVELYN CECIL (Aston Manor)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the Report of the Steamship Subsidies Committee; and whether he will consider the advisability of appointing, 64 in accordance with their suggestion, a permanent Committee, consisting of a representative of the Admiralty, the Board of Trade, Colonial Office, and Post Office, with the addition of trade representatives, to watch the development of foreign competition, and consult from time to time what steps are required to meet it.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I am aware of the recommendation of the Select Committee, which formed a part of the excellent Report for which my hon. friend was chiefly responsible. The question of the formation of a permanent Committee is under consideration. Whether in addition to the departmental members of it there ought to be representatives of the shipping interest seems to us very doubtful, as it is possible they might themselves be recipients of any subsidy which the Committee might recommend. As at present advised I am not averse to the idea of introducing an outside element.