HC Deb 08 February 1904 vol 129 cc580-1
* MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state what progress has been made by the Committee appointed to consider the position and duties of the Board of Trade and Local Government Board, and to report on the desirability of alterations in the constitution and status of these offices and of a rearrangement of duties between these Departments and other Government Departments; and when such Report is likely to be in the hands of Members.

MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN

I note that the hon. Member for Hoxton has a Question on the Paper for to-morrow on the same subject and will ask him to be good enough to consider this as an answer to him as well. The Committee, which originally consisted of Lord Jersey, (Chairman), Sir James Mackay, Sir Charles Ryan, Sir J. Gorst, and Mr. Alfred Emmott, M.P., was appointed on the 18th July last. They met at once, and adjourned pending the receipt of memoranda from the Board of Trade and Local Government Board setting forth the history and duties of those Departments and their views on the subject of the Committee's reference. The Committee resumed their sittings last week, Sir G. Ryder having been added in place of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Cambridge University who had resigned. I am unable to name a date for the completion of their inquiry, but I am aware that the chairman is anxious to proceed with it as rapidly as possible.

* MR. D. A. THOMAS

Do I understand that no meeting of the Committee was held for six months?

MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN

Yes, Sir. The Committee met immediately on its appointment and then adjourned in order to obtain certain information from the two Departments concerned. That information has only been supplied by one of the Departments within the last three or four weeks and the Committee met again as soon as it got it.

* MR. D. A. THOMAS

In which Department was it that the delay in replying occurred?

MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN

The Local Government Board. I have no personal knowledge or information as to the reasonableness of the time taken.