§ MR. CROOKSI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will appoint a Departmental Committee to consider the practicability of the Thames barrage scheme, and also the advisability of formulating a scheme of national foreshore reclamation, with a view of providing useful work for the unemployed.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe two proposals referred to in this Question do not appear to be very closely allied, and in any case I am advised that neither scheme seems at present to present features which would justify the appointment of a Departmental Committee.
§ MR. CROOKSThen we are not even to have an inquiry whether they would or not?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the hon. Gentleman will admit that there must be a strong prima facie case for putting the officials of a Department to the labour of such an inquiry, and I rather gather that that prima facie case has not been made out.