HC Deb 23 October 1912 vol 42 cc2169-72
22. Mr. FRED HALL (Dulwich)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the whole of the evidence given before or collected by the Committee appointed by him to inquire into the land system will be made public as soon as its labours are concluded; if he can give the names of the officials who are assisting the Committee in their deliberations; and whether the services of any officer of any Government Department are being utilised in any way in connection with the work of the Committee?

30. Mr. RAWLINSON

asked how many paid agents are now being employed by the Land Inquiry Committee in connection with their inquiries?

36. Mr. LANE-FOX

asked whether any, and which, of the recently appointed Small Holdings Commissioners have been employed by his secret Land Inquiry Committee to collect evidence?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I am not aware of the names and number of the persons employed by the Committee. That is a matter wholly within the Committee's discretion, as is also the question of the publication of their Report. I can, however, assure hon Members that no Government servant is being employed by them.

Viscount HELMSLEY

Does the right hon. Gentleman include the Small Holdings Commissioners as Government servants?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

Certainly.

Viscount HELMSLEY

Does he say that no Small Holdings Commissioner has been employed by this Committee in making inquiries?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

Certainly.

Mr. RAWLINSON

Can the right hon. Gentleman ascertain the figures I ask for and communicate them to me?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

Perhaps the hon. and learned Member will apply direct to them.

Mr. RAWLINSON

To whom may I apply?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I will supply the name of the secretary and the address of the office to the hon. and learned Member.

31. Mr. RAWLINSON

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the names of those who are finding the money for the expenses of the Land Inquiry Committee?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

This seems to me to be an essentially private matter.

Mr. RAWLINSON

Is it the right hon. Gentleman who objects to giving the information or the members of the Committee who object to their names being published?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I think it is entirely a matter for them. If they choose to give their names, of course they can do so.

Mr. SWIFT MacNEILL

This is a private matter, but will the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether any of these gentlemen contributed £1,000 to dine with the Duke of Westminster?

Mr. JOYNSON-HICKS

Has it occurred to the right hon. Gentleman that the source from which this money comes would enable us to judge of the bona fides of this inquiry?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

Certainly, I should say so.

Mr. JOYNSON-HICKS

In order that we may judge will he not give the names?

46. Viscount WOLMER

asked the Prime Minister whether he will appoint a Royal Commission, a Departmental Committee, a Select Committee of this House, or some other impartial and open method of inquiry into the land system of this country?

The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)

I must refer the Noble Lord to the answer which I gave yesterday to the question put to me by the hon. Member for South Wiltshire.

Viscount WOLMER

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that an open and impartial inquiry would be more likely to arrive at the facts of the case than a secret, partisan, and underhand inquiry?

Mr. WEDGWOOD

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he does not think that we have had sufficient inquiry into this question, and whether the time has not come to act?

48. Viscount WOLMER

asked the Prime Minister if he will state why the promised announcement of the Government's land policy has been postponed; and whether he is in a position to state when it will be made, and by whom?

The PRIME MINISTER

I am not aware of any promised announcement having been postponed. The policy of the Government will be announced in due time.

Viscount WOLMER

Are we to understand that the announcement that the Chancellor of the Exchequer's speech at Swindon was postponed owing to the crisis in the Near East was entirely without official foundation?

The PRIME MINISTER

I know nothing about it.

Viscount HELMSLEY

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the present proposals made by various Members of the Government have caused a great deal of insecurity throughout the country, and will he allay that feeling of insecurity at the earliest possible moment by announcing what the policy of the Government is?

The PRIME MINISTER

I do not think the country is in any state of insecurity.