§ SIR WILLIAM ANSON (Oxford University)To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade is by statute the Lords of the Committee for the time being of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations; whether any such Committee has been appointed since 1786; whether, if so, the last Committee so appointed expired at or within six months of the death of His Majesty King George III.; and, if the Board of Trade as defined by statute has ceased to exist, what is the present position of the President of the Board of Trade.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The Board of Trade is, by the Interpretation Act, 1889, and earlier statutes, the Lords of the Committee for the time being of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations. The Order in Council of 23rd August, 1786, has not been revoked, and the Committee is treated, in a very learned work known as "Anson's Law and Custom of the Constitution," as still existing.