§ 4. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he can now make any statement as to the future of the Empire Marketing Board?
The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas)I am not in a position to add to the answer which I gave on 3rd May to a similar question addressed to me by the hon. and gallant Member for Blackpool (Captain Erskine-Bolst) of which I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. SMITHHaving regard to the far-reaching effects of the Ottawa Agreements, will the right hon. Gentleman say whether certain activities of the Empire Marketing Board may now be considered redundant; and whether some economy may not be made?
Mr. THOMASThe hon. Member could not have followed the details of the Budget or he would have observed that there was no provision for the Empire Marketing Board.
§ Mr. HANNONMay I ask whether the work of this board in the past has not been very valuable to the whole of our Imperial trade; and what does the right hon. Gentleman propose in place of the board?
Mr. THOMASI not only think that it has been of considerable advantage to the Empire, but at Ottawa I intimated on behalf of the Government that we were prepared to continue its functions until September. We urged its continuance, but the Dominions took a different view.
§ Sir HERBERT SAMUELDoes the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary answers mean that the Empire Marketing Board is to be discontinued?
Mr. THOMASNo. The supplementary answers indicate that the committee, of which the right hon. Gentleman will be aware, which is considering the whole question, do not recommend in their report the continuance of the board, but the whole report is now a matter for consideration by the Government.
§ Mr. MANDERDid not the May Committee also recommend that the board 1342 should be abolished on the ground of economy?