§ As soon as may be after the end of the year beginning on the appointed day, and of each of the next subsequent fourteen years being a year for which the spindles levy is payable, the Spindles Board shall prepare and submit to the Board of Trade a report on the operations of the Spindles Board during that year, and the Board of Trade shall, as soon as may he, lay before each House of Parliament a copy of every report submitted to the Board in pursuance of this section.—[Mr. Runciman.]
§ Brought up, and read the First time.
§ 5.8 p.m.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."
This is a recommendation which I make to the House now in order to carry out what was the obvious desire of the Committee upstairs. In most quarters in the Committee there was a general desire that there should be an annual report on the operations of the Spindles Board, and we think it possible that in the early years of the scheme there may be some 1862 information that could properly be published which would not in the ordinary way be included in the accounts. The new Clause provides that an annual report shall be laid, but I ought to add that it does not prescribe or attempt to prescribe the exact form that the report should take. There is, however, one point which I think justifies us in saying that we must leave to the board the selection of the exact information which it makes public, and that is that it would be possible, if particulars were indiscreetly published, that they might do more harm than good to the industry. In these circumstances I think we must leave those specially charged with the duty of dealing with the prosperity of the industry as a whole to refrain from giving such information as might do harm through competition from abroad.
Question put, and agreed to.
Clause added to the Bill.