Clause 9. — (Power of Board of Trade to require information.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Import Duties Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 22 February 1932.

Alert me about debates like this

Mr. HOPKIN MORRIS:

I agree with the general sentiment expressed by the hon. Member for West Leyton (Sir W. Sugden), but he will forgive me if I say that it has no relation to the Clause. It would be a very desirable thing to obtain statistical information in regard to the progress and condition of industry in this country, but that is not what this Clause is concerned with. This Clause is entirely foreign to the whole purpose of the Bill. Whatever views we may entertain in regard to the Bill, we must recognise that this Clause is totally unrelated to its pro- visions. Whether one is in favour of or against the imposition of tariffs, one's position is totally unaffected by this Clause. The proposed Amendments would not improve the Clause, but might make it a little worse. No Amendment could improve the Clause. The only thing to be done with it is to cut it out of the Bill altogether. It is no use amending this particular Sub-section. To what use is the information to be put when it has been gathered? There is no provision in the Clause which indicates what use the Board of Trade is going to make of it. Is it to be placed before the Advisory Committee? What use is the Board of Trade going to make of the information after it has been demanded from various companies, after they have issued these forms, in any manner they think fit, because they can issue them to individuals and to groups of trades, to anybody they like—