§ 51. Colonel YATEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in view of the necessity for due provision of employment after the War, he will now sanction a grant of, say, £3,000 by the Development Commissioners for a Government survey and estimate of cost of the proposed sea-level ship canal between the Clyde and the Forth?
§ Mr. BALDWIN (Lord of the Treasury)Under the provisions of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, the Treasury has no power to sanction grants from the Development Fund, except upon the recommendation of the Development Commissioners. As regards the particular scheme in question, the financial and economic conditions which are likely to prevail after the War must render it very doubtful whether the Government would be justified in incurring even preliminary expenditure for the purpose suggested by my hon. Friend.