MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, why was the official Memorandum showing by statements and facts the absence of any ground for alarm at the system of trade known as dumping, which was attached to the Board of Trade fiscal Blue-book, not included in the copies of that Blue-book, laid upon the Table of this House; and will he now lay a copy of that Memorandum upon the Table.
§ MR GERALD BALFOURThe Memorandum to which I suppose the hon. Member refers is quite incorrectly described in the Question, and was not attached to or intended to form part of any published Blue-book. It was a confidential Paper prepared in my Department, and circulated by me for the 62 information of my colleagues in the Cabinet. I am not prepared to lay it on the Table. Perhaps my answer to this Question may be taken to include Question 62 put to the First Lord of the Treasury by the hon. Member for Halifax.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Lord Balfour in another place stated that this Memorandum was attached to the Fiscal Blue-book?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIf that is the case he is in error.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill the right hon. Gentleman present the Memorandum to the quasi-Royal Tariff Commission?
§ [No answer was returned.]
§ Appended is the second Question referred to in the Answer of the right hon. Gentleman: To ask the First Lord of the Treasury if he will lay on the Table the Memorandum which was prepared by the Board of Trade to accompany the Fiscal Blue-book.