HC Deb 11 June 1940 vol 361 cc1131-2
47 Mr. Mander

asked the Prime Minister (1) whether he will state the full composition of the Production Council, the Economic Policy Committee, the Food Policy Committee, the Home Policy Committee and the Civil Defence Committee;

(2) whether the Minister of Supply attends meetings of the Defence Committee;

(3) whether he will state the names of the members of the committee presided over by the Lord President of the Council, in addition to the Lord Privy Seal, the Minister without Portfolio and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and charged with concerting and directing the work of the Production Council, Economic Policy Committee, Food Policy Committee, Home Policy Committee and Civil Defence Committee; and how often it meets weekly?

Mr. Attlee

It is contrary to the usual practice to publish details of the composition, procedure, etc., of Cabinet and War Cabinet Committee, and I am not prepared to make an exception in the case of the Committees mentioned in these Questions, except to the extent of saying that the Minister of Supply attends meetings of the Defence Committee when circumstances so require, and that the Committee presided over by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council meets from time to time as the occasion arises.

Mr. Mander

Would my right hon. Friend be good enough to make this point clear—I think it is intended—that the names mentioned in the Question are really the whole composition of the Committee over which the Lord President of the Council presides?

Mr. Attlee

If the hon. Member will look at the previous answer that I gave him, he will see very clearly the composition of the Committee.