§ 47. Sir W. Smithersasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has decided to preserve the Capital Issues Committee as a permanent feature of our financial structure.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe reasons were given by the Economic Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Tonbridge (Mr. G. Williams) on 19th November.
§ Sir W. SmithersDoes that answer mean that the Chancellor of the Exchequer no longer credits the businessmen of our country with sufficient sagacity to decide for themselves how their capital should be invested? Does he not 1800 realise that the sooner the Government get out of business the better for the country as a whole?
§ Mr. ButlerThe sagacity of the English businessman is not in question, but the sagacity of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as advised by this Committee is, I think, a valuable feature both of our Constitution and our practice.
§ Sir W. SmithersSack the Committee.