§ Mr. MORRELLasked whether the Secretary to the Treasury has received an application from the Committee for the Lancashire and Western Sea Fisheries District for a grant under the Develop- 2431 Fund Act, 1909; whether that application has been submitted to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries for their observation and report; whether the Board have yet reported upon it; and if so, whether the application has now been forwarded to the Development Commissioners?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI am informed that the application in question is now with the Board of Agriculture, who have not yet reported upon it to the Development Commissioners.
§ Mr. MORRELLMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether the application was forwarded to the Board of Agriculture in July last year, and whether nine months is rather an unnecessary time to consider a simple application to the Board?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI will be able to answer the question better when I have seen the scheme.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTAre these Departmental Reports to the Development Commissioners confidential, or is the entitled to know their contents?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe House is not entitled to know the contents of the reports until they have been discussed by the Departments concerned—the Board of Agriculture, and, subsequently, the Treasury.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the House, then, entitled to know their contents?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI do not wish to be taken as covering all cases, but personally I do not see why it should not.
§ Mr. MORRELLWill the right hon. Gentleman make representations to the Board of Agriculture on the subject of the nine months' delay?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI have no greater power than my hon. Friend behind me.