MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury out of what funds voted for the services of the Board of Trade or the Foreign Office do His Majesty's Government propose to provide for the expenditure to be incurred by this country, and which will come in course of payment during the current financial year, for the organisation and working of the Permanent Commission for carrying out the Brussels Sugar Convention, which is to meet not later than Monday next, 1st June.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.In answer to my hon. friend I have to say that such expenditure may properly be charged under subhead C., special services, of the Board of Trade, or subhead K., special missions and services, 133 and the Vote for diplomatic and consular services. Both these heads include provision for analagous contributions to the expenses of international commissions abroad. The question whether the Foreign Office or the Board of Trade should provide these charges has not yet been decided, but probably the charge will fall on the Foreign Office.