16. Colonel NEWMANasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the private consumer as well as the manufacturer and the workman has a right to be represented on the boards which it is his reported intention of setting up to advise him as to the extent of the protection needed against unfair foreign competition in certain industries; and will he see that, the private consumer has his fair share of representation and that this representation does not consist of Government officials?
§ Sir R. HORNEAs my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate, it is impossible for me to disclose, the provisions of a Bill before its introduction; but I can assure him that the interests of the consumer will be fully considered in any legislation.
§ Mr. WATERSONWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of consulting some consumers in the cooperative movement, which has 4,500,000 members?
§ Sir R. HORNEI am certainly prepared to consider the consumer in any particular capacity.
Colonel NEWMANWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my question, namely, that the representation of the private consumer does not consist of Government officials?
§ Sir R. HORNEOf course, so far as the Government officials are concerned, they will only give such aid as is required of them. I perfectly appreciate my hon. and gallant Friend's point about this, and I am anxious the consumers' interests should be sufficiently considered.