41. Mr. CHANCELLORasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, before appointing advisers on trade matters, inquiries are made as to whether the persons so appointed have any financial interests in any of the matters on which they are called upon to advise?
Mr. BUXTONIf the question refers to the members of the Board's Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence, I can only say that such members are for the 1040 most part chosen on account of the knowledge and experience they possess of trade matters. It necessarily follows that they are sometimes financially interested in the questions which come before them. For example, it is frequently the case that the only people competent to give useful advice on the incidence of a new foreign tariff on certain branches of British trade are those directly interested in that trade.
Mr. CHANCELLORIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a gentleman who has recently become a director of the London General Omnibus Company—
§ Mr. SPEAKERWill the hon. Member kindly hand his question in at the Table?