§ 49. Sir John Mellorasked the Minister of Agriculture why, in view of his having been empowered by Regulation 66 of the Defence (General) Regulations to prescribe by Order the procedure of war agricultural executive committees, he has done so partly by the Cultivation of Lands Order and partly by Departmental circulars; and whether, to bring all prescribed procedure within the purview of Parliament, he will prescribe such procedure by Order and not by confidential circulars?
Mr. HudsonDefence Regulation 66 provides that any Order delegating my powers to any body of persons may contain such provisions as I think proper with respect to the procedure of any body to whom functions are so delegated. The obvious intention is that the general procedure should be so laid down and this has been done in the Cultivations of Lands Order, 1939. But my hon. Friend will realise that in connection with the carrying out by agricultural executive committees of their powers and duties as the Minister's agents, it is necessary for me to issue instructions from time to time on matters which do not fall within the definition of procedure of the committee for the purpose of Defence Regulation 66, and such instructions are more properly and conveniently given by circular or memorandum rather than by a Statutory Rule and Order.
§ Sir J. MellorBut I am asking my right hon. Friend about instructions with regard to procedure. Why should not hon. Members have full access to information with regard to that?
Mr. HudsonIf my hon. Friend will study my answer, he will see that I have replied to his point about procedure.
§ Sir J. MellorBut my right hon. Friend says he cannot give this information, because part of it is related to matters which must necessarily be confidential and were other than matters of procedure. Why will he not disclose the information with regard to procedure?
§ Sir J. MellorWhy not all of it?