§ 57. Mr. REMERasked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the action of the Chairman in a recent inquiry under the Safeguarding of Industries Act to require the applicants to produce their trading balance sheets; and if he will issue instructions that where the balance sheets are so required from the applicants the balance sheets of those importers of foreign goods opposing the application shall also be produced?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Sir Burton Chadwick)I am informed that in the case referred to by my hon. Friend the balance sheets of certain firms were produced by the applicants as an integral part of their evidence-in-chief with regard to their loss of trade. It is for the applicants to determine in each case what evidence they are prepared to submit, and I do not- propose to issue any instructions to commit tees concerning their procedure beyond those given in the White Paper.
§ Mr. REMERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that at the inquiry the Chairman of the Committee made some strong comments on some applicants who did not produce their balance sheets?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKThe Committee does not require evidence which the applicant does not care to produce. An applicant produces such evidence as he considers desirable in his own interests.
§ Mr. REMERIf the Chairman insists, as he did in this case, is it not vital that applicants should produce their balance sheets?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKI think the hon. Member is mistaken. I do not think any chairman would insist if the applicant did not wish to produce papers.
§ Mr. REMERWill the hon. Gentleman make inquiry, in order to ascertain whether the facts are not as stated in the question?
§ Mr. HARRISIs not the business of an applicant asking for a privilege to prove that he is suffering some disability?
§ Sir B. CHADWICKYes. It is for applicants to produce such evidence as they think desirable in support of their case.