Lieutenant-Commander N. CRAIGasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) why there is no accredited representative of labour on the new Public Issues Committee; and whether, in view of the fact that the industrial classes in this country are deeply interested in the supply of raw materials required in various industries, much of which supply can only be obtained from abroad, he will recommend to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury the advisability of appointing a Labour representative or Labour representatives as a member or members of this Committee;
(2) Whether the metallurgical and chemical industries of this country have been largely developed during the War; whether he is aware that their maintenance and future expansion is largely dependent upon the provision of supplies necessary to them, and that such supplies in great degree must come from abroad; if he will explain why, having regard to the fact that the provision of supplies from new and competitive sources, wherever occurring, is intimately connected with questions of new issues of capital, no representatives of the metallurgical or chemical industries have been included in the new Capital Issues Committee; and whether he will recommend to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury the advisability of appointing representatives of these industries as members of that Committee?
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Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe Committee is, I think, already quite large enough for the work which it will have to do, but I am anxious to make it as representative as possible, and I shall be happy to consider any suggestions I may receive of additional names to represent the interests mentioned in these questions.