§ 6. Mr. HURDasked the President of the Board of Trade upon what authority the Sub-Committee appointed to inquire into the existence of a trade combination in the tobacco industry report that the American Tobacco Company hold two-thirds of the stock of the British-American Tobacco Company, seeing that the American Tobacco Company ceased to hold any shares in the British-American Tobacco about eight years ago?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI understand that the statement in the Report of the Sub-Committee appointed to investigate tobacco which is referred to by my hon. Friend was based on a passage quoted in an appendix to the Report of the 3 Committee on Trusts. The passage quoted is believed to be a correct statement of the position at the time at which it was written, but I am informed that the position has changed, and that the facts are now as stated by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI will pass it on to the Sub-Committee for their information.