Mr. A. T. DAVIESasked the President of the Board of Trade who has been responsible for the direction and 2396W business of the Overseas Trade Department during the absence of the Parliamentary Secretary and other important employés in the Department for the past month; and what progress has been made in winding up the Department during the past four months?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONAs the Department of Overseas Trade is a joint Department of the Foreign Office and the Board of Trade, the ultimate responsibility for its direction rests at all times with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the President of the Board. During the absence of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department, and of the Comptroller-General, at Genoa, Sir Frederick Butler, the Deputy-Comptroller-General, has been the chief permanent official responsible to the Secretary of State and the President. In regard to the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made in this House by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 1st March. It will be seen that there is no question of winding up the Department, but steps have already been taken to carry out the reductions in administrative costs foreshadowed in that statement.