§ 51. Mr. R. MCNEILLasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the constitution and organisation of the War Trade Department cause dissatis- 30 faction to the commercial community, inasmuch as no member of the Department has any business training or experience except Lord Emmott, whose knowledge of trade is believed to be too limited to qualify him for directing the operations of the Department; whether the secretary to the Department is a lawyer of 70 years of age; whether the work of the Department is carried on by a number of independent committees formed from various Government Departments, with no clearly defined demarcation of their respective duties and responsibilities; and whether he will reconstruct the Department by appointing men of commercial training and experience and entrusting to them exclusively the whole work of the Department?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe question of simplifying and co-ordinating the work of these committees is under consideration.
§ Mr. MCNEILLWill the right hon. Gentleman seriously consider the advisability of appointing a really business committee to manage this Department?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not know what the hon. Member means by a really business committee. Attempts have been and will be made to make the committee as competent and efficient for the purpose as possible.