§ 65. Captain W. BENNasked the Prime Minister whether lie will so frame the terms of reference for the War Fortunes Inquiry Committee as to permit them to investigate the practicability of a Capital Levy?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer is in the negative.
§ Captain BENNIs it not a fact that the same evidence will be required in the inquiry on war fortunes as would be required in an inquiry into a Capital Levy; and, if so, why does the right hon. Gentleman resist the latter inquiry?
§ Mr. SONAR LAWBecause it is not so. The evidence will be quite different. 1122 I explained in the Debate the other day that one of the reasons which make it very undesirable to enlarge the scope of the inquiry is that we want the smaller point settled as rapidly as possible.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe Chancellor of the Exchequer said that as soon as the Inland Revenue have completed their inquiries, which, I hope, will be very shortly, the Committee will be set up.
Mr. BILLIN GHave the Government decided upon the terms of reference to the Committee, and, in that case, will the right hon. Gentleman give the House an opportunity of hearing them before the Committee is finally set up?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes. The terms of reference will be published at the time a Committee is set up. The Chancellor of the Exchequer says the Inquiry is so far advanced that he will proceed at once with the setting up of the Committee.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWin the terms of reference apply only to the late war with Germany, or will they apply also to money made out of the sort of war with Russia, or retrospectively to the South African War?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt will apply to everything in connection with the war which has just terminated.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIncluding Russia?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWOf course, it must apply to anything in connection with that. If the other suggestion was adopted I should have no hope of any decision in my lifetime.
§ Mr. BILLINGWill it apply to fortunes made out of supplying Russia and the Allies in the early part of the War'?