§ MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)To ask Mr. Attorney-General if he can state what powers the Government possess to prohibit the export of coal; whence they are derived; and in what contingency they can be exercised.
(Answered by Sir Robert Finlay.) This subject has been dealt with by recent legislation, the effect of which is as follows: Under the 8th Section of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1879, there is power by Proclamation or Order in Council to prohibit the exportation of arms, ammunition and gunpowder, military and naval stores, and any articles which His Majesty shall judge capable of being converted into or made useful in increasing the quantity of military or naval stores, provisions, or any sort of victual which may be used as food for man. Under the Exportation of Arms Act, 1900, there is power by Proclamation to prohibit the exportation of all or any of the following articles, viz.: arms, ammunition, military and naval stores, and any article which His Majesty shall judge capable of being converted into or made useful in increasing the quantity of arms, ammunition, or military or naval stores to any country or place named in the Proclamation whenever His Majesty shall judge such prohibition to be expedient, in order to prevent such arms, ammunition, military or naval stores being used against His Majesty's subjects as forces, or against any forces engaged or which may be engaged in military or naval operations in cooperation with His Majesty's forces. Coal suitable for use by vessels of war would fall under the category of naval stores in these enactments. The power conferred by the earlier of these enactments is general, and no special contingencies are prescribed for its exercise; the power conferred by the Act of 1900 may be exercised with regard to particular countries or places in the contingency mentioned in the Act.