HL Deb 21 December 1932 vol 86 cc536-8WA
VISCOUNT ELIBANK

asked His Majesty's Government to state:

  1. (1) The names of the members comprising the Economic Advisory Council, how they are appointed, and for how long;
  2. (2) whether that Council has power to co-opt additional members for the consideration of specific subjects, and generally how the proceedings and investigations of the Council are conducted;
  3. (3) what are the functions of the Council, and whether it considers only questions submitted to it by the Prime Minister, or whether it has in addition power independently to consider and to make recommendations regarding questions affecting industry, commerce, or finance, which may appear to it to be important in the existing economic conditions.

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

The information asked for in regard to the Economic Advisory Council is as follows:

1. The Prime Minister is the chairman of the Economic Advisory Council, some of the members of which are Ministers and others persons chosen by the Prime Minister in virtue of their special know- ledge and experience in industry and commerce. The Ministerial members of the Council are the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the President of the Board of Trade, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. The non-Ministerial members are Sir Arthur Balfour, Bart., K.B.E., Sir John Cadman, G.C.M.G., Mr. W. M. Citrine, Mr. G. D. H. Cole, Sir Ernest R. Debenham, Bart., Sir Andrew Duncan, Sir Daniel Hall, K.C.B., F.R.S., Sir William Hardy, F.R.S., Mr. J. M. Keynes, C B., Sir Alfred Lewis, K.B.E., Sir William McLintock, G.B.E., C.V.O., Mr. G. Riddle, Sir Arthur Salter, K.C.B., Sir Ernest Simon and Sir Josiah Stamp, G.B.E. There is no definite term of service for the non-Ministerial members.

2. The proceedings and investigations of the Council are mainly conducted by committees, some of which are standing committees and others ad hoc committees appointed to consider particular subjects. The Council has no power to co-opt additional members of its own body, but for the consideration of specific subjects it draws upon a panel of persons with industrial, commercial, financial, and working-class experience, and persons who have made a special study of social, economic and other scientific problems.

3. The functions of the Council are defined in a Treasury Minute of the 27th January, 1930, by which it was established, as follows: Providing that it acts after receiving the approval of the Prime Minister, the Council may initiate inquiries into, and advise upon, any subject falling within its scope, including proposals for legislation.

The scope of the Council's work is defined in the same document as: (1) To advise His Majesty's Government in economic matters. (2) To make continuous study of developments in trade and industry and in the use of national and Imperial resources, of the effect of legislation and fiscal policy at home and abroad, and of all aspects of national, Imperial and international economy with a bearing on the prosperity of the country.

House adjourned at twenty minutes before six o'clock.