§ VISCOUNT BERTIE OF THAMEMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question standing in my name.
§ [The Question was as follows: —To ask His Majesty's Government if and when they propose to take steps to carry out the recommendations contained in the Report issued by the Committee on Ministers' Powers.]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT SANKEY)My Lords, I am obliged to the noble Lord for raising this Question which, if he will allow me to say so, is one in which I take a personal interest, as it was on my initiative that the Committee was appointed over which the noble Earl, Lord Donoughmore, so ably presided. In my opinion the matter is well worthy of the consideration of the House. But I am sorry that I am not in a position to make any definite statement at present upon it. As the noble Lord knows, the Report of the Committee is of great value, but it is of some length, though I do not for a moment say that the subject could have been treated with greater brevity. It deals with issues of great importance, and proposes remedies which are far reaching and need careful and, as I hope, sympathetic investigation. During all the earlier part of this year when the Report first appeared, the Government were, and have since been, engaged with a number of very difficult questions—unemployment, Ottawa, Disarmament, Ireland, together with the preparations for the next India Conference. We really have not had time to deal with the matters to which the Report refers. The noble, Lord may however rest assured that we shall apply ourselves to the question as soon as time permits and on a future occasion I hope to make a fuller statement to the House.