§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONasked the Prime Minister if the Report of the Committee to examine the question of Government 282W machinery for dealing with trade and commerce has been accepted by the Government, and if it is proposed to give effect to its recommendations; and whether any British merchants with houses abroad which are in touch with the Consular service were asked to give evidence before the Committee?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAs regards the first part of the question, the Report of Lord Cave's Committee has been accepted as a. provisional scheme, subject to reconsideration if it should not be found to work satisfactorily; steps are being taken to give effect to its recommendations, and some of the most important of these have already been carried out, namely, the transfer of the Consular Department of the Foreign Office to the Department of Oversea Trade, and the setting up of a Standing Committee comprising representatives of the Foreign Office, Board of Trade, and Department of Oversea Trade, to deal with questions in which the three Departments are jointly interested. As regards the last part of the question a list of witnesses heard by the Committee, including representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, is appended to the -Report of the Committee in Paper Cmd. 319, which has been presented to the House of Commons.