HC Deb 29 July 1918 vol 109 cc39-40
60. Mr. LEES-SMITH

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government has decided upon the adoption of a policy of Imperial Preference after the War?

Mr. BONAR LAW

The answer is in the affirmative.

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether this preference is to be confined solely to the question of transport or whether it is to include preference in regard to tariffs as well?

Mr. BONAR LAW

Both; preference in duties as well.

Mr. LEES-SMITH

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fact that a policy of that sort is fatal to the policy of a League of Nations?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I do not in the least admit that.

Mr. SNOWDEN

Will the House of Commons have an opportunity of deciding this question or do the Government intend to put it into operation without consulting the House of Commons?

Mr. BONAR LAW

It must be quite obvious to my hon. Friend that as long as the War lasts the Government have no opportunity of carrying out such a policy, and it cannot be adopted. All that has happened is that this Government has put itself into line with the other Governments of the Dominions in accepting this principle.

Mr. RUNCIMAN

Will the terms of the Resolution be published along with the other Resolutions which appeared in this morning's papers?

Mr. BONAR LAW

The whole subject of the exact terms of the Resolutions will be published, but, as I mentioned the other day, the discussion of this question is not complete. Therefore it is not proposed to publish the exact terms until the scheme is completed.

Mr. PRINGLE

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether a full Report of the proceedings of the Imperial Conference on which these Resolutions are adopted will be made available to the House and the public?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I have every reason to expect so. The deliberations of these Conferences are nearly always published.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

Will these Resolutions involve the taxation of food?

Mr. BONAR LAW

No; they do not. They take the form of Resolutions adopted by the Dominion Governments—before, that is to say, preference in existing duties and any subsequent duties that may be included.

Mr. OUTHWAITE

How can the Government take this step, seeing that there is no mandate whatever to commit this country to a policy of Protection?

Mr. BONAR LAW

The Government has always a mandate to commit itself.