§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he can state of whom that Board is composed; how often has that Board met within the last seven years; whether the Secretary or any of the Assistant Secretaries has the right to use the seal and so to pass orders on their own account; and, if so, will he grant a return of all such orders passed by a Secretary or Assistant Secretary without reference to the President since the Board was constituted.
§ The TREASURER of the HOUSEHOLD (Sir EDWARD Strachey, Somersetshire, S.)The Board consists of a President of the Council, the Principal Secretaries of State, the First Lord of the Treasury, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and the Secretary for Scotland. It has never yet met. The President of the Board is responsible for all the acts of his subordinates and no order—or indeed any other document— is issued except under his immediate authority or in pursuance of a general policy sanctioned by him. I am unable to grant the Return asked for by the hon. Member, but I have no objection to say that the issue of the order which has, I think, given rise to his Questions was personally sanctioned by the President.