HC Deb 16 May 1905 vol 146 cc495-7
MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a statement reported to have been made at a public meeting at Farnham by the Secretary of State for India, to the effect that the subject of preference to the Colonies has been reserved by the Government for consideration with the Colonies; that they will call the Colonies into council, and propose to confer with them next year on that very important subject: whether the Secretary of State for India has correctly stated the intention of the Government; and, if so, whether it is now proposed that the † See (4) Debates, cxli., 780. fiscal question shall be dealt with during the lifetime of the present Parliament.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I only read the hon. Gentleman's notice this morning, and I can find no such passage in the only report of the speech which I have been able to consult—namely, the report in The Times. [Cries of "It is in the Standard."] I have not seen that. But I see no necessary inconsistency between that statement and the often-declared policy of the Government—namely, that the question of fiscal policy shall not be dealt with by the present Parliament.

MR. SOARES

Then I am to understand that the Secretary for India did correctly state the intentions of the Government?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

My right hon. friend made a statement which is not inconsistent, as far as I know, with the declared policy of the Government, which is that of not dealing with fiscal reform in the lifetime of the present Parliament. Nor do I see any inherent improbability in the hypothesis on which my right hon. friend may have proceeded—namely, that before the last day of 1906 the Party now in power shall have returned in possession of a large majority.

MR. LLOYD-GEORGE (Carnarvon Boroughs)

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman adheres to the declaration made by Lord Lansdowne that the question of colonial preference will not be submitted to a Colonial Conference without first seeking the mandate of the country on the question of the conference.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I venture to say that it is not very convenient to discuss this interesting topic in this rather sporadic fashion at Question time; but I am not aware of any statement of Lord Lansdowne's which conflicts with opinions which I have previously expressed in respect to the position the Government takes up in regard to the fiscal question in this Parliament, and it is only in this Parliament that Members have a right to question me. They always tell me that I, at any rate, shall be one of the most insignificant members of the next Parliament.