MR. DUNDAS WHITE (Dumbartonshire)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider the advisability of appointing a Departmental Committee to inquire into the working of the Adulteration of Hops Act, 1733, the Hop Trade Act, 1800, and the Hop Trade (Prevention of Fraud) Act, 1866, with a view to ascertaining whether and how far the provisions of these Acts operate advantageously or disadvantageously to the British as compared with the foreign hop trade.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsAs a Committee only recently inquired into the condition of the hop industry, I am of opinion a further Committee would not serve any useful purpose.
MR. DUNDAS WHITEWas the matter mentioned in the question particularly inquired into by that Committee?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEThey must have considered the question before coming to the conclusion they did.
§ * SIR W. J. COLLINS (St. Pancras, W.)Will the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiry to be made as to the working of existing legislation in Germany and Australia, whereby the use of hop substitutes is prohibited?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEYes.