§ Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he is now in a position to give the approximate date of the issue of the Report of the Customs and Excise Amalgamation Committee, of which he is chairman, and which has now been in existence for nearly two years; and whether, in view of the delay that from various causes has taken place, he will favourably consider the antedating of any new scale of salary recommended?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs I stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for the Louth Division of Lincolnshire, on Thursday last, I cannot fix an absolute date for the presentation of the Committee's Report to the Treasury, but I hope it may not be long delayed. In answer to the last part of the question, I regret that I cannot anticipate the conclusions which the Committee may arrive at.