§ 61. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the fact that Government Departments abstain from making application to the Import Duties Advisory Committee is on grounds of constitutional practice or because the Departments regard themselves as debarred by statute from so doing?
§ Dr. BURGINThe Import Duties Act requires the Import Duties Advisory Committee to make recommendations regarding import duties and allied matters for consideration by the Treasury and through them by the other Government Departments interested in the subject. In these circumstances it would not be appropriate for a Government Department to make representa 1332 tions to the Committee regarding the advice they should give.
§ Mr. LYONSCan the hon. Member tell me whether the Import Duties Advisory Committee has exercised that power on its own initiative or whether in every case it waits until an industry comes to it because of the dire distress in which it finds itself?
§ Dr. BURGINThe Import Duties Advisory Committee has power, as has been said time after time, to act on its own initiative and to make recommendations to His Majesty's Government whenever it thinks fit to do so.
§ Mr. LYONSWhile thanking my hon. Friend for what he has said, will he answer my question and say whether they have ever exercised the powers which he says they possess?
§ Dr. BURGINPerhaps my hon. Friend will put that question down. The answer is not the sort of answer that one carries in one's head.