§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Mr. Gerald Loder, the newly appointed Junior Lord of the Treasury is to retain in conjunction with his position in the Government the positions of director in four public companies, of which one is the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company, and another the Standard Bank of South Africa; and whether he is aware that Mr. Loder's accession to the Government brings the number of directorships in public companies held by members of the present Administration to seventy-one; and whether he proposes to take any, and, if 149 so, what steps, having regard to the frequent demands for that reform, to secure that the retention of public company directorships be rendered incompatible with the holding of the office of Minister of the Crown.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no knowledge of my hon. friend's connection with the companies to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but I am quite certain he will allow no outside engagement to interfere with his official duties.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to give notice that I will move to reduce Mr. Loder's salary by the amount of the fees he receives as a director.