45. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Prime Minister whether he will give an early date for the discussion of the Motion standing in the name of the hon. Member for Evesham, relating to the Council of Foreign Bondholders?
§ [That this House is of opinion that, in view of the enormous losses sustained by the British public for the past 25 years in lending to foreign Powers, it is desirable to reconstitute the Council of Foreign Bondholders (which was incorporated under the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders Act, 1898), and that the existing Council should be dissolved and a new Council established, and that the objects and scope of the Council should be enlarged.]
§ The Prime MinisterIn the present state of public business, I can hold out no hope of time being available for the discussion of this Motion.
Mr. De la BèreDoes the Prime Minister not realise that something must be done about this question of public lending, and that neither the Council of Foreign Bondholders nor the Foreign Transactions Advisory Committee is very fully equipped to deal with the matter, which is one of great urgency?