asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what legislative enactments or administrative orders the Governments of Malaya and Nigeria impose restrictions upon tin producers within their respective jurisdictions in order to enable such Governments to fulfil the engagements taken by them in the agreement comprising the tin regulation scheme?

There are a number of enactments and rules in the various territories. The effect of these enactments and rules is to apply the scheme set out in the white paper in the territories. If the hon. Member desires, I will send him a list of the enactments and rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which members of the advisory committee to the international tin committee are themselves participants in, or directors of companies which are participants in, the private tin pool?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave him on 27th February. As I stated on that occasion, I was sure the House would appreciate that if private interests disclose to the international tin committee, or its chairman, their holdings in tin in order that this information, given in confidence, may be at the disposal of the committee, it would be most improper of me to make that information public even if I possessed it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give us, not the amount of the participation but the fact of the participation of particular members of the advisory committee in the tin pool?

Most certainly not. I am in the recollection of the House in the answers which I have given, and I think the whole House will agree that, while it is quite proper that persons who have private interests and who are acting in an advisory capacity should disclose those interests to the people whom they are invited to advise, it would make things impossible if this information, given in confidence, were to be stated in answer to fishing inquiries in the House.

Is it not the case that this series of questions is calculated to bring about instability in the price of tin and therefore to facilitate the work of speculators?

Further arising out of the right hon. Gentleman's reply to me, may I ask him, in view of the fact that he has already informed the House that certain members of the advisory committee are interested in the tin pool, to inform the House which members are so interested.

I think the House has fully appreciated the answer which I have given. I have no intention, as I have said, of disclosing, in answer to fishing inquiries, information given in confidence to a committee.

If those who are called upon to advise in this matter are themselves holders, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that that fact would influence their advice?

No, Sir. No change has taken place in the character of the advisory committee since the Labour Government instituted it, with the exception that the consumers, the manufacturers, are now represented. Of course, if you wish to have technical advice in a matter of this kind, you must have people who know about the industry, and it is quite proper that people who have interests should disclose their interests to the committee whom they advise. But it would be utterly improper, as I think the House will agree, that I should be asked to disclose that information in this House, even if I had it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the names of the members of the special committee charged with the management or control of the governmental buffer pool in tin and whom they represent thereon.

As I understand that the composition of the Buffer Stock Committee has not been published, I do not think I can give the names of the representatives of foreign Governments, as that is a matter for the Governments concerned. The Malayan delegation appointed Sir John Campbell to represent the Malay States; the Nigerian delegation appointed Mr. J. Howeson to represent Nigeria. I am informed by the chairman of the International Tin Committee that Mr. Howeson expressed his desire that another person should be appointed in his place to represent Nigeria on the committee, before the Buffer Stock Committee engaged in any operations, as, although the Buffer Stock Committee must act in accordance with instructions given by the International Tin Committee, he felt there might be a possibility of some apparent conflict of interest between the buffer stock and undertakings in which he had an interest. The chairman informs me that the Nigerian delegation propose to accept this suggestion, and to appoint another representative.

May I ask if Mr. Howeson is still a member and if he retains his place on the Buffer Pool Committee?

Before any operations are engaged in by that committee, I understand the Nigerian delegation propose to appoint another member. There has, I think, been no meeting of the committee.