Mr. PIKE PEASEasked what precedent there was for the inclusion, without the approval of Parliament, of Article 8 in the Anglo-Japanese Commercial Treaty (1911), limiting the freedom of action of the Imperial Parliament in imposing duties upon goods imported from a foreign country?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI am not aware of any previous Treaty which contains an Article exactly similar to that mentioned, but all Commercial Treaties limit the action of Parliament in one way or another. Moreover, the Article mentioned makes special provision whereby Parliament can, if it pleases, recover its freedom without prejudice to the remainder of the Treaty. As regards the present Treaty it will be remembered that it was laid as a White Paper one month before it was ratified, a course which gave Members full opportunity for considering its provisions before they came into force.