§ 44. Sir H. Williamsasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Hire Purchase Order was supplied to the Press on 10th February and referred to in the Press on the morning of nth February but that copies were not available in the Vote Office by 3 p.m. on nth February, nor was there a copy in the Library at that hour; and will he state the reason for the failure to send a copy to the Library?
§ Mr. DaltonA copy of this Order was in the Vote Office on Friday, 12th February, directly it was printed. It is important that traders should have the earliest possible notice of Orders of this character which affect the conduct of their daily business. Traders rely largely on the weekly trade papers for this information, and a number of these papers are published on Thursdays. Accordingly, a Board of Trade Press Notice was issued in time for publication on Thursday, 11th February, giving the general purport, but not the text, of the Order.
§ Sir H. WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when the Order became available it was not possible, even after careful reading of it, to reconcile it with the Press notice, and will he therefore say why the explanatory memorandum promised by the Home Secretary did not accompany the Order?
§ Mr. DaltonNo, Sir; I do not think it is difficult at all to harmonise these two documents. I think the document is very clear on its face, but, if not, I shall be glad to consider with my hon. Friend whether any other explanation is necessary.
§ Sir H. WilliamsWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, speaking on behalf of the Government, the Home Secretary gave an undertaking that any document that was difficult of interpretation would be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum?
§ Mr. DaltonYes, Sir, but I explained that I did not think that the particular document was difficult to understand, and if my hon. Friend finds any difficulties, I shall be glad to discuss them with him.
§ Sir H. WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it contains references to three Acts of Parliament?
§ Mr. FrankelIs it not the fact that in this matter the right hon. Gentleman was helping private individuals, which seems to be the whole concern of the hon. Gentleman who has asked the Question?
§ Mr. DaltonYes, Sir, I was helping the trade. I tried to explain that I was anxious to give the utmost assistance to the trade Press and to the trade in the matter, and that is why I supplied the Order to the Press,
§ Mr. LevyIs the President of the Board of Trade aware that this is one of those sub-Orders that are not laid upon the Table at all about which the House of Commons is generally complaining, and why is it that these sub-Orders come along in such shoals and it is absolutely impossible for Members of the House of Commons to have any jurisdiction over this legislation whatever?
§ Mr. DaltonThis particular Order, like others under the Prices of Goods Act, is designed to prevent the public from being rooked and charged too much for the necessary articles.