§ LORD ASKWITHMy Lords, I desire to ask His Majesty's Government whether in view of the Report of the Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Cave on the faults of the existing Trade Boards Acts, and in view of the urgency of removing the restraints on trade and the uncertainty involved in the present position, a new Bill amending or consolidating the Trade Boards Acts will be speedily brought forward by the Government; and if so, in which House the Bill will be introduced.
Since 1909 the distributing trades, and various trades which engage largely in exporting, have been added to the trades which are under the trade boards, owing to the Act of 1918, and in the autumn of last year there was considerable and growing disturbance over alleged defects in that Act and the Act of 1909. A Committee was appointed under the Chairmanship of Lord Cave, which reported, I believe unanimously, in favour of certain alterations. The trades particularly requiring knowledge of whether a Bill is likely to be introduced or not at an early date are the rope, twine and net trades, the heavy and fine linen manufacturers, and the jute trade. At the present time it is very important for material reconstruction or rise in trade that there should be security, and that those trades should know where they are. Further, as to the ups and downs of the cost of living, the Committee has found that it is very awkward for such a long time to be taken in decisions as to the alteration of rates, and also in the decision of the Minister, and the result is that the Committee reported that these times should 1045 be altered. All I want to know now, however, is whether there is likely to be a Bill introduced; if so, in which House; and whether it is likely to be brought forward in this session.
§ THE EARL OF CLARENDONMy Lords, in reply to the Question which has been addressed to me by the noble Lord, may I say that it has already been indicated by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, in answer to a Question in the other House, that he hopes it may be possible to proceed, during the present session, with the Bill now in the course of preparation, dealing with the important recommendations of the Cave Committee. Such a Bill will, however, require the most careful consideration. In addition to the many points raised by the Cave Committee, the many interests which will be affected by it will require close attention. Moreover, some time must necessarily elapse before the Bill could become law. Again, a number of important questions affecting trade boards have been left in abeyance pending the Report of the Cave Committee. In all these circumstances, my right hon. friend the Minister of Labour, is carefully considering at the moment whether he should not in the meantime give effect without delay to those parts of the unanimous Report of the Cave Committee with which he finds himself in agreement and which can be put into operation under the powers conferred upon him by the existing Acts.
In reply to the last sentence in Lord Askwith's Question, I am afraid at this stage that I cannot give him any indication as to the House in which the proposed Bill will be introduced. I think one might say that if the House of Commons, at the time the Bill is ready, were too busy, it might possibly be introduced in this House. But this must not be taken as committing the Government to any action of that kind.