§ MR. BLACK (Banffshire)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether any one of His Majesty's Ministers is responsible for advising the Crown as to the general schem of Imperial defence which has been recommended by the Committee of Defence; and, if so, which Minister has that responsibility.
§ MR. A. BALFOURThe Committee of Defence is, as the hon. Gentleman is doubtless aware, a Committee whose 331 duty it is to advise the Cabinet, and it is for the Cabinet, or for the head of the Cabinet, as the case may be, to advise His Majesty in connection with this and other matters.
§ MR. BLACKIs the Prime Minister himself responsible for Imperial defence, and if so, when will he make a statement of his policy?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think that is a relevant and a proper Question. I have already said, in answer to the hon. Baronet the Member for Forest of Dean, that in my judgment it would be very proper to take an early opportunity of putting down Item E of the Treasury Vote, for which I am responsible, and which raises any question with which the Committee of Imperial Defence is concerned. I think it is desirable that on that Vote I should make a statement to the House. I may remind the hon. Gentleman that I cannot put that Vote down until Mr. Speaker has left the Chair on the Civil Service Estimates. I should like it to come on on an early day after Easter.
§ MR. TREVELYAN (Yorkshire, W.R., Elland)Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of making a statement on the Vote now under the consideration of the Committee of Supply.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the course suggested by the hon. Member a most undesirable one, and one which it is specially desirable to avoid. By putting down this Vote E the larger questions of Imperial defence can really be raised. You cannot discuss them satisfactorily, in my judgment, either on the Navy or the Army Votes, and it was because the House felt that that this other occasion was contrived.