§ 1. Mr. RAPERasked the President of the Board of Trade the exact terms on which the following concessions for the British Empire Exhibition have been granted, i.e., refreshment rights, amusement rights, advertising rights, publicity rights, tobacco rights, rights for the sale of souvenirs and postcards, and exhibit rights; to whom each of these rights has been granted; and whether any of the concessionaires are in any way connected either with any of the promoters of the exhibition or with any of the members of the executive committee or finance committee?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAME (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)I am informed that no contract has been given for any of the concessions referred to by my hon. Friend. By the Memorandum of Association, no member of the executive council or of any committee of the exhibition may derive any benefit from contracts or concessions awarded in connection with the exhibition. In regard to this question, I think it will be convenient if I explain the precise relation of the Government to the British Empire Exhibition. The Government is a guarantor to the extent of £100,000 out of a total guarantee fund which has already reached £1,000,000; and the Government is represented on the executive council. The responsibility for the management of the exhibition is vested 1734 in the council, the constitution of which has been approved by the Board of Trade, as laid down in the British Empire Exhibition Guarantee Act. I have, with Mr. Speaker's permission, placed in the Library of the House a complete list of the members of the council, as well as of the other committees which have been formed to deal with specific subjects. In these circumstances, while I am always anxious to give to the House the fullest information on any matter which is under my control, I am sure hon. Members will appreciate that in this case it is impossible for me to deal with intricate matters of detail and will be satisfied, when they study the personnel of the council and its committees, that the administration of the exhibition is in thoroughly capable and competent hands.
§ Mr. RAPERIs it a fact that in a statement which appeared in the "Times" on the 16th December last there was an item of £125,000 as receipts from concessionaries, and will the hon. Gentleman tell me what this item is for, and whether these concessions were open to competition?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI cannot without notice answer a supplementary question which refers to something that appears in a newspaper some months ago.
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMENo, Sir. H the hon. Gentleman will read the answer, he will see that I said there has been no contract given for any of the concessions to which he refers in his question. I stated the provision from the Memorandum, which precludes any director or any member of the committee or the manager of the company from acquiring any concession. If the hon. Member wishes to put a specific point perhaps he will give notice of it.
§ Mr. KILEYHas this £100,000 been paid over, and is it correct that His Majesty's Government's representative is receiving £5,000 a year?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEMy hon. Friend is wrong in each particular. The Government has not paid over any sum of 1735 money, and there is no Government representative drawing any sum at all.
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEColonel Cole is the representative of the Board of Trade on the committee. There is, I think, a representative of the Colonial Office and a representative of the Indian Office whose names escape me for the moment.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINIs not every section of this House represented on the Council?
§ Major MOLSONHave any of the guarantors been promised or' granted any quid pro quoin exchange for their money?
§ 2. Mr. RAPERasked the President of the Board of Trade if a letter was issued in the latter part of last year by the Executive Council of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce to all chambers of commerce in this country, asking for their active support of the British Empire Exhibition and pointing out that every guarantor will receive a valuable collateral security in that ultimately the whole assets of the exhibition will be handed over to a company already registered as the British Empire Exhibition Assets Company, Limited; what was the original agreement entered into between this company and the British Empire Exhibition Executive, who were the original directors of the British Empire Exhibition Assets Company, Limited; and whether any of them are in any way associated with the British Empire Exhibition?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The British Empire Exhibition Assets Company, Limited, has been formed for the purpose of acquiring the land, buildings, and plant at Wembley at the close of the exhibition under an agreement whereby the whole of the assets so transferred shall be held in trust primarily to discharge the outstanding liabilities (if any) of the exhibition; secondly, to repay to the guarantors any monies found by them under their guarantees and subject thereto in trust for public purposes. The directors of the 1736 British Empire Exhibition Assets Company, Limited, are Lord Morris, the chairman of the Executive Council of the exhibition; Sir Richard Vassar-Smith, chairman of the Guarantee Fund Committee; and Sir William Peat, member of the Executive Council and Finance Committee.
§ Mr. RAPERCan the hon. Gentleman' say if the general manager, Mr. Wintour, is the same gentleman who was employed by the Inter-Allied Trading and Banking Company from which company he was dismissed and the company went into voluntary liquidation in 1920?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEMr. Wintour was, I understand, employed by the company to which my hon. Friend referred, but as to whether he was dismissed I cannot say.
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEAnd previously employed by the Board of Trade. I know he severed his connection with the company, but I am not aware of the circumstances under which he severed his connection. He was not appointed to this position by reason of any connection with a public company, but he was selected by the Council because he had been for many years the officer in charge of exhibitions under His Majesty's Government. He was unanimously selected by the' Council and his appointment was approved by the Board of Trade.
§ Captain Viscount CURZONWhat interest does the exhibition pay on borrowed money, and will the exhibition pay 7 per cent, irrespective of the bank rate?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThat, obviously, is a question which I cannot answer without notice. It seems to me to be a matter between the Council and the bank.