§ MR. CROMBIE (Kincardineshire)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in the event of the Colonial Conference which meets in 1906 taking place before a general election, the question of Imperial unity on the basis of preferential duties on colonial produce will be submitted to that Conference.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Gentleman is probably aware that we have over and over again stated that in the course of this Parliament we propose to take no steps with regard to fiscal reform.
§ MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the British representatives at the Colonial Conference to be held in 1906 will have power, subject to the subsequent approval of this House, to negotiate a scheme of preferential trading with the Colonies on the basis of the taxation of food and raw material.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI answered that Question when I replied to the hon. Member for Kincardineshire.
§ MR. SOARESDo I understand they will not have the power?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURWe are not dealing with that question.
§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I should like to clear this matter up. The right hon. Gentleman's statement has been that he will make no proposal in Parliament, but the question now asked refers to action taken outside of Parliament—in the Colonial Conference.
§ MR. A. T. BALFOURI have over and over again said that in the course of 1228 the present Parliament we do not propose to deal with the fiscal problem.
§ MR. CROMBIEWill the instructions to the Conference be given by Parliament or the Government?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Gentleman had better wait till the date of the meeting of the Conference is rather nearer.