HC Deb 24 March 1939 vol 345 cc1678-80

Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 69.

[Sir Dennis Herbert in the Chair.]

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to amend the Wheat Act, 1932, it is expedient—

  1. (a)To authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of the expenses of any committee appointed under the said Act of the present Session to report as to the desirability of making any alteration in the price which is for the time being specified as the standard price of home grown millable wheat for the purposes of the Wheat Act, 1932, and of any committee so appointed to advise the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Secretaries of State concerned with agriculture in Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively, as to matters relating to their functions under the Wheat Act, 1932, and the said Act of the present Session.
  2. (b)To authorise the payment into the Exchequer of any sums payable under the said Act of the present Session by the Wheat Commission to a Government Department" [King's Recommendation signified.]—[Mr. Grimston.]

3.54 p.m.

Mr. T. Williams

If this Resolution is allowed to go through, shall we be prevented from submitting Amendments to the terms of reference under Clause I in Committee?

The Chairman

That is a question which I cannot answer now.

Mr. Williams

Perhaps the Minister of Agriculture can help us?

The Chairman

I think it is a question which must be decided by whoever is in the Chair in the Standing Committee.

Mr. Alexander

It is rather an important matter. We have complained about the generality of the terms of reference in the Bill. The Money Resolution deals entirely with the authorisation of payments at the expense of the Committee to be set up, and we do not want to be handicapped afterwards by the terms which will prevent us moving an extension of the terms of reference to make sure that the matters which have been raised this afternoon can be the subject of inquiry.

Sir R. Dorman-Smith

I am informed that it will make no difference.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.

The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.

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