asked the Chancellor of the exchequer whether he will state the subjects on which the advice of the Stamp Committee has been sought; whether the committee have made any recommendations in particular, in respect of the liberation of material and labour for the purpose of producing goods for export; and whether any, and which, of the committee's recommendations have been accepted by the Government and applied?

As I explained in the course of the Debate on 18th October the committee over which Lord Stamp presides consists of the permanent heads of the Departments concerned with economic affairs. It would be contrary to practice to make public the recommendations of a committee so composed. I need not say, however, that the export trade is one of the matters to which the committee has given a great deal of attention.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether any of the committee's recommendations have been accepted by the Government and applied?

The ordinary constitutional principle applies that the Government is responsible and I do not know that in practice it is possible to make public whether a recommendation made by a permanent official is or is not accepted by the Government.

Is not the question which rises here one of urgent importance namely, whether it is worth while setting up a committee of this kind unless the House has an assurance that when that committee reports on matters of national importance the Government are willing to accept the recommendation?