§ Mr. HANNONasked the President of the Board of Trade how many questions have been asked during the present Session on the subject of the various provisions of the Safeguarding of Industries Act; what proportion of these questions sought for information which could have been obtained from documents already published by the Board of Trade; what number of officials and how much time is it estimated is involved in the preparation of these answers; and what is the estimated cost to the taxpayer of each answer given?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe answer to the first part of the question is that approximately 300 questions on this subject have been addressed to the Board of Trade, and, in addition, a substantial number on the same subject have been addressed to the Treasury. The proportion referred to in the second part is probably relatively small. As regards the third and fourth parts, no reliable estimates can be given.