§ 48. Captain CROOKSHANKasked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that one of the functions of the Economic Advisory Council is the consideration of tariff policy, he proposes to refer to it the question of the maintenance of the Safeguarding and McKenna Duties?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald)The answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIs this not one of those questions which would gain especially from having an opinion expressed upon it by a highly competent body without party or doctrinal bias?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI can assure the right hon. Gentleman that such a body has been consulted.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKWhat is the use of these terms of reference to the Council if, when an opportunity like this arises, it is not taken advantage of?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIn relation to the very important supplementary answer given by the Prime Minister, may I ask what is this impartial body, without party or doctrinal bias, which has been consulted in regard to the question of the removal of these duties?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is the same sort of body which the right horn. Gentleman the Member for Epping consulted when he put them on.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLDoes the Prime Minister mean by that that he has consulted his Civil Service advisers and no one else? If not, what else does he mean? If the right hon. Gentleman, by his important supplementary answer, did not mean what I have said, will he kindly tell us what he did mean?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe right hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well that a responsible Government consults its 1563 Civil Service advisers and others, and that advice in the ordinary way and following the usual practice of Governments has been taken.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWould the right hon. Gentleman say what is the purpose of appointing this special body, the Economic Advisory Council, to give advice on these different controversial questions? Does it mean a new departure or some new foundation on which the Government proposes to act?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt means that the consultations have been hitherto more in the nature of ad hoc consultations than a general survey of the whole situation for the purpose of providing the Government with advice upon the larger issues. The Advisory Council has been appointed, not for that purpose alone, but for other points which may arise, and which I hope will be considered in an impartial and somewhat politically detached way.
§ Mr. CHURCHILL rose—
§ Mr. BECKETTOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, I wish to ask whether it is in order for the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill) to put so many more supplementary questions than other hon. Members?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have always insisted that I must be the judge of that.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have no intention of abusing the Rules of the House, but I wish to ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will take an early opportunity of stating to the House the kind of question that he is going to, put before this tribunal, and which I think might be made the subject of a public announcement in order that we may all gain from the work of the tribunal?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not rule out this question, because it is a kind of question that can be sent to the Advisory Council. The advice we have taken on this question has been the ordinary advice that all Governments have taken on these questions.
§ Sir ARTHUR STEEL-MAITLAND rose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERI cannot allow this question to develop into a debate.