HC Deb 15 May 1916 vol 82 cc1107-8
9. Mr. SHIRLEY BENN

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state if the Sir Hugh Bell who has been selected by the Board of Trade to serve upon a Committee appointed in connection with the iron and steel industries to consider trade after the War is the same Sir Hugh Bell who has recently circu- lated a pamphlet setting forth his conviction that we could not if we would and should not if we could capture German trade, and advocating that Germany should be encouraged to sell us all she can?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

Sir Hugh Bell is a distinguished ironmaster and a member of the Board of Trade Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence. No matter what Sir Hugh Bell's views on fiscal questions may be, I have no doubt that he will effectively discharge his duties as a member of the Committee on the Iron and Steel Industries.

Mr. BENN

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if he thinks he can get wellsidered views on the future from a Gentleman who now state that his prewar convictions are so strongly planted that no change in conditions can alter them?

Mr. JONATHAN SAMUEL

Can the right hon. Gentleman arrange a discussion between my hon. Friend (Mr. Shirley Benn) and the gentleman in question?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

There is always great difficulty in getting any gentleman from any of these commercial committees who had not some views on the fiscal question before the War. In my experience I have found that consistency in their views is not restricted to Free Traders.

Mr. PENNEFATHER

Is this Sir Hugh Bell the same Sir Hugh Bell who has recently circulated a document to Members of this House?

Mr. SPEAKER

That question has already been answered by the right hon. Gentleman.