HC Deb 27 April 1931 vol 251 cc1411-3

Motion made, and Question proposed, That as from the twenty-eighth day of April, nineteen hundred and thirty-one, the customs duty on hydrocarbon oils shall be at the rate per gallon of sixpence instead of fourpence, and the rebate to be allowed on the delivery for home consumption of hydrocarbon oils, other than light oils, shall be at the rate per gallon of sixpence instead of fourpence. And it is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution shall have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1913."—[Mr. Snowden.]

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The practice has grown up in our Parliamentary proceedings that the speaker who follows the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Budget day, usually one of his predecessors in that office, should not enter into any serious criticisms of the proposals which the Chancellor of the Exchequer may have submitted to the House. He has been accustomed in recent years, as it were, to shake hands with the Chancellor before engaging in the prolonged and deadly combat which afterwards ensues. He congratulates the Chancellor upon his scintillating rhetoric, or, if he has not scintillated, he compliments him on the lucidity of his phrasing and the masterly compression of a complicated subject into a speech of reasonable length. The statement to which we have listened this afternoon is, if I may venture to say so, fully worthy not merely of conventional praises of that kind, but of the great reputation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

But I want to say something more than that to the right hon. Gentleman to-day. Whatever our differences may be with the Chancellor's politics—they are neither few nor small—he has long since won our admiration for his courage, his sincerity and his eminent Parliamentary gifts. During his illness we have greatly missed him from his place. I wish to say to him in all simplicity to-day that we are truly glad to see him back. We share the gratification which he must have felt that he has been able, thanks largely to his own fortitude of mind, to make his statement to us in person. We observed with satisfaction that there was no diminution in his accustomed powers either of clear statement or of sardonic humour. I do not think anyone could have welcomed him here more heartily than my right hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill), who would not have missed on any account the opportunity of hearing from the Chancellor's own lips how closely he has now approached him, if not in principle at any rate in practice. We trust that the optimism displayed by the Chancellor is only an indication of his return to health. We earnestly hope that the ordeal through which he has so triumphantly passed this afternoon may leave no evil result behind.

On the contents of the Chancellor's statement I do not propose to dwell. There were in it some things which were not unexpected. There were others, perhaps, which no one had guessed. Some of his proposals we may feel, in the circumstances and within the limitations which the Government have imposed upon themselves, might have been worse. To others, we shall have to offer the sternest opposition. There will be other opportunities for a close and critical examination of the proposals that have been put before us this afternoon. Now I will conclude by once more congratulating the Chancellor upon his convalescence, and by expressing the hope that he may speedily have a full and complete recovery of his normal health and strength.

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I wish to follow the example of the right hon. Gentleman in the very graceful speech with which he has treated the Committee, by simply adding my word of felicitation to the Chancellor upon his return to the House in what appears to be even greater vigour than ever. The gap which was obvious to everyone during his absence is the best proof of the position which he fills in this Parliament, and we are delighted in all parties to see him back apparently in completely restored health. I shall say only one word about the Budget. I felicitate the right hon. Gentleman upon the great feat of courage and endurance which he has exhibited, and, although there are some features of the Budget upon which one may have to comment, certainly not adversely, there is one feature at least which rejoices my heart. I hope that when the right hon. Gentleman comes to deal with it, he will benefit by some of the painful experiences which I had in 1909 and subsequently, and avoid some of those pitfalls. I have no doubt that he will do that. At the moment I simply add my word of felicitation and congratulation to him upon his great feat to-day.

Question put, and agreed to.