HC Deb 15 March 1926 vol 193 cc206-8

Resolved, That a sum, not exceeding £ 387,104 9s. 7d., be granted to His Majesty to make good Excesses on certain Grants for Civil Services for the year ending 31st March, 1925:—

Supplementary Estimates that this Government would contribute £50,000 for the next three years towards the fund, £125,000 for the subsequent two years, and then for each subsequent year £300,000, until the capital reached the British proportion of £5,000,000. The Bill goes on to give the Trustees power to make investments, to accumulate the income, and provide for the audit of the accounts. I do not think there is anything else I could explain to the House, and I trust that a Second Reading can be given. I ought, perhaps, to say that when a Second Reading is given, the Bill, as it affects private interests, has to go before a hybrid Committee, appointed partially by Select Committee and partly nominated by the Government, and has to be considered by them before it comes back to the House.

Major HILLS

I do not want to detain the House long, and I do not wish to oppose the Bill. I merely rise for the purpose of making a suggestion. First of all, I should like to congratulate my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for War, on the very great interest he has taken in this fund and the very successful way in which the fund has been run. The suggestion I make is this. The Imperial War Graves Commission was founded by Royal Charter, and that Royal Charter went before the Imperial Conference of 1917. I believe it was discussed Clause by Clause, The Charter was amended twice by subsequent imperial Conferences, and now the Government proposes to make a. further Amendment by Bill. I quite agree that the Bill is necessary for changing our law, and that Sub-section (1) of Section (2) permits an accumulation of interest that is not allowed by British law, but when I come to the rest of the Bill, I do see a grave objection that I hope my right hon. Friend will consider. Supposing we pass this Bill, the fund is contributed to by all the Dominions, and they share with us the work of the Imperial War Graves Commission. Supposing we pass an Act of Parliament, is it not probable that all the Dominions will feel it necessary to bring that Act before the Parliaments of the Dominions? I think, if you put yourself in the position of the Prime Minister of any of these Dominions, that is very likely to occur; and then if that does happen, do we not run some risk of something being passed by the Dominion Parliaments which might conflict with this Act? Up to now, we have gone by Royal Charter, and we have had the consent of the Imperial Conference. If we now proceed by Bill and Act of Parliament, I rather fear there might be some conflict between the views that this House might take and the views that the Parliament of Canada, of Australia, or of South Africa might take. It would be a cumbrous procedure that this matter should go all round the Dominion Parliaments, but the real danger is that there might be some conflict. The Imperial War Graves Commission has been a great act of Imperial co-operation, and it would be very disastrous if that were endangered. I do not want to risk it. I merely suggest the point for the consideration of my right hon. Friend, for I think there is a real risk of something occurring that might endanger the matter. The point can be considered in Committee, or perhaps between now and the Committee stage it might be considered. I need hardly say that in no sense do I oppose the Bill; I merely wanted to point out the danger and to express the hope that the Government would consider it.

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Ronald McNeill)

We must proceed by Bill, and, therefore, we must have one. My hon. and gallant Friend admits that Clause 2 must be in the Bill. He appears to fear—I do not know why—that the Parliaments of the various Dominions may think it necessary to take action, but there is not the slightest danger of any trouble. I do not know whether my hon. and gallant Friend has noticed the point that this Bill only deals with our contributions? It does not deal with those of the Overseas Dominions. Therefore, I really cannot imagine why any legislation passed here should come into conflict with the proposals of the Dominions. But my hon. and gallant Friend has achieved the end he had in view, for the Committee point he has raised will be very carefully considered.

Bill committed to a Select Committee of Nine Members, Five to be nominated by the House and Four by the Committee of Selection.—[Mr. R. McNeill.]

Ordered, That all Petitions against the Bill, presented Five clear days before the meeting of the Committee, be referred to th Committee; that the Petitioners praying to be heard by themselves, their Counsel, or Agents, be heard against the Bill, and Counsel heard in support of the Bill.

Ordered, That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers, and records.

Ordered, That Five be the quorum.—[Mr. McNeill.]