VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWNMy Lords, I rise to ask His Majesty's Government why no representatives of the Dominions are included in the Committee appointed to consider the commercial and industrial policy to be adopted after the war, with especial reference to the conclusions reached by the Economic Conference of the Allies.
THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE MARQUESS OF CREWE)My Lords, I do not know whether there are many people who take the view which has apparently inspired the Question of the noble Viscount opposite—namely, that an omission has occurred in not asking representatives of the Dominions to sit on this particular Committee; but if that is so, I am glad to have the opportunity of explaining how the matter really stands. This Committee was preluded by a telegram which was sent by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the different Dominions on May 8, in the following terms—
His Majesty's Government desire as soon as practicable to convene a Conference representative of the United Kingdom, the Dominions, and India to consider the commercial policy to be adopted after the war. In view of past fiscal controversies ill this country, we consider it of essential importance as a prior step, in order that the Conference may have a practical result, to set up a Committee here with a view to discovering how far agreement among ourselves may be possible under the changed conditions brought about by the war; but we wish to make it clear that in our judgment the appointment of this Committee, whatever may be its result, will not, as we hope, unduly delay the holding of the larger Conference, or interfere in any way with the free and unprejudiced discussion of the problems with the Dominions' representatives. I trust that this method of procedure will meet with the assent of your Ministers.Assent was received from the Dominions to this plan of proceeding; and a similar intimation was sent to the Viceroy of India at the same time. It will therefore be clear that the Committee which is being set up here, and the members of which were announced in the newspapers on July 19, is of a purely preliminary nature. Its purpose is set out in the telegram which I have just read; and I think the noble Viscount and the House will see that there really would be no object for this particular purpose, as the main Conference is to be held later, in including representatives of other parts of the Empire in this Committee.
VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWNI am glad to have given the noble Marquess the opportunity of making this explanation. I think it is a great pity it was not made at the time of the announcement of the appointment of this Committee.