HC Deb 20 October 1954 vol 531 cc1336-7

Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 84 (Money Committees).—(Queen's Recommendation signified.)

[Sir CHARLES MACANDREW in the Chair]

Motion made and Question proposed. That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to provide for the transfer to a statutory corporation constituted under the law of Tanganyika of the undertaking of the Overseas Food Corporation, and the dissolution of the last-mentioned Corporation; for the provision of funds under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940, in connection with the carrying on of the said undertaking; for the conclusion of fresh arrangements as to the obligations and rights of the last-mentioned Corporation in connection with the Southern Province port and railway; for the remission of interest on certain advances made under the Overseas Resources Development Act, 1948, to the Colonial Development Corporation; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid, it is expedient to authorise—

  1. (a) the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of any increase (not exceeding one million, seven hundred thousand pounds) in the sums payable out of such moneys under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts, 1940 to 1950, which may be attributable to provisions of the said Act 1337 of the present Session amending those Acts in relation to any scheme for providing funds required by the Tanganyika Agricultural Corporation;
  2. (b) the payment into the Exchequer of any sums directed by the said Act of the present Session to be so paid;
  3. (c) the remission of any obligation of the Colonial Development Corporation to make payments under section thirteen of the Overseas Resources Development Act, 1948, in respect of interest on such part of the sums advanced to that Corporation under that Act as may be equivalent to net losses incurred for the purposes of any undertaking of the Corporation which has been or may be abandoned.—[Mr. Lennox-Boyd.]

Mr. Glenvil Hall

Are not we to hear something from the Financial Secretary to the Treasury? Ought not he to be here to explain this matter? We have not yet had a speech from him, and it would be rather nice not only to have his presence on the Government Front Bench but to hear something from him on this matter.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The responsibility is entirely mine in regard to the Financial Resolution, as it was to commend the Bill itself to the House. In suggesting that the House must take me as being adequate, I am taking the example which has always been followed, even when the right hon. Gentleman was himself Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

At that time the right hon. Gentleman who is now the Leader of the House always used to ask, in most plaintive and sometimes very critical terms, why the Financial Secretary was not on the Government Front Bench. What was good advice then is certainly good advice now.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I think that the situation is exactly the same. The Financial Secretary was not there in the old days, and his predecessor asked why not. That is exactly what is happening now.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported Tomorrow.