§ Mr. JONATHAN SAMUEL (by Private Notice)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he has any statement to make 701 with regard to the appointment of a Cabinet Minister to be responsible for questions of War, Trade, and Blockade?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIn view of the increasing complexity of questions connected with the stoppage of goods from and to enemy countries, it has been decided that there shall be one Minister to co-ordinate the work of the various Committees and Departments now dealing with such questions.
As this Minister will be responsible to Parliament for the work done by the War Trade Department and the various Committees which deal with special aspects of this subject, it is considered desirable that he should have Cabinet rank. I have asked my Noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he would be willing to undertake these duties, and I am glad to say he has agreed to do so.
I wish to take this opportunity of paying a well-merited tribute to the members of the various Committees who have so generously and unsparingly devoted their time and talents to this onerous work, and I feel confident that His Majesty's Government, and my Noble Friend in particular, may rely on a continuance of their patriotic help in dealing with the difficult and delicate questions which are, as the War progresses, of even more frequent occurrence than in the past. I trust that it may be possible to arrange that my Noble Friend, in assuming his new responsibilities, should have the expert advice and assistance of a naval officer of flag rank.
§ The PRIME MINISTERUnder-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.