HC Deb 22 November 1927 vol 210 cc1599-600
53. Mr. HARMSWORTH

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the need and demand of the agricultural industry for an import duty on barley; and whether he will consider the question of publishing the Report of the Treasury Committee which investigated the subject of a duty?

Mr. CHURCHILL

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Sudbury (Colonel Burton) on the 10th November, of which I am sending him a copy.

Mr. HARMSWORTH

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman for an answer to the last part of the question about publishing the Report of the Committee?

Mr. CHURCHILL

That is the point most specifically covered by the answer to which I have referred.

Mr. HARMSWORTH

Can the right hon. Gentleman circulate a White Paper giving the full reasons for his refusal to grant a duty?

Mr. CHURCHILL

I think it is much better that some such statement should be elicited in debate.

Mr. HARMSWORTH

Does not the right hon. Gentleman know that a former Conservative Minister of Agriculture has emphatically stated that this is possible?