Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎135r] (269/442)

1899
Oral Answers.
10 July 1912 Oral Answers.
another day this year for a general Debate
on the Army before the Autumn Adjourn
ment?
The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith):
This is a matter for arrangement between
the Patronage Secretary and the Noble
Lord opposite.
Mr. HUNT: Are w 7 e to understand that
when a Cabinet Minister makes a promise
and gets into a difficulty, he can evade that
promise, if it is not convenient to keep it ?
Mr. SPEAKER: The hon. Member is
only asking the same question in other
words.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE : Was
not a promise made on an early day in the
Session of an extra day for the Territorial
Force ?
The PRIME MINISTER: I do not know
whether it will be possible to arrange for
another day. I will do my best.
Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act.
49. Sir FREDERICK BANBURY asked
if the Prime Minister will state when he
proposes to obtain the authority of this
House for the payment of the salaries and
expenses of the arbitrators appointed
under Section 4 of the Coal Mines (Mini
mum Wage) Act, 1912?
Mr. BUXTON (for the Prime Minister):
Payment of the salaries and expenses of
chairman of Joint District Boards ap
pointed under the Coal Mines (Minimum
Vv age) Act, 1912, will, with the sanction of
the Treasury, be made out of savings from
the Board of Trade vote, and it is not cer
tain, at this stage, that it will be neces
sary to lay an Estimate before the House.
Sir F. BANBURY: Arising out of that
answer, may I ask you, Mr. Speaker,
whether it has not always been the custom
of this House, when a new service has
been commenced, that a Resolution of the
House authorising or embodying that new
service is necessary before the money can
be passed ?
Mr. SPEAKER: I will have to take a
little time to consider my answer and look
into the matter. I cannot to-day go be
yond saying that, primd facie, I should
think that the sanction of the House was
required, but I would not like to commit
myself to an answer without further con
sideration.
1900
Sir F. BANBURY: With your permis
sion, Sir, I shall put the question later.
Sir HENRY CRAIK : Has it not always
been the case that sanction has only been
given by the Treasury to such transfer of
money where it has been from under one
sub-head to another of the same Vote, and
not to a totally new Vote?
Mr. BUXTON : The hon. Gentleman will
perhaps give me notice of that question.
Land Taxation (Committee).
50. Sir GEORGE YOUNGER asked
whether the Prime Minister will state the
names of the Committee on Land Taxa
tion appointed, with his approval, by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer; and whether
it will be arranged that properly qualified
persons will have an opportunity of giv
ing evidence on the subject ?
The PRIME MINISTER: The Committee
is a purely unofficial and informal body. It
will be presided over by my right hon.
Friend Mr. Arthur Acland. I see no reason
why the names of the members should be
published at present. Should their Report
be eventually laid before Parliament full
information will, of course, be given. It
will rest with the Committee to decide what
method of investigation should be pur
sued.
Lord HUGH CECIL: Has the right hon.
Gentleman any objection to stating the
names of the Committee ? Is there any
secret about it at all ?
The PRIME MINISTER: No, no secret
whatever.
Lord HUGH CECIL: Then why not state
the names ?
The PRIME MINISTER: It is purely
an unofficial and informal body.
Lord HUGH CECIL: Unofficial mem
bers are not secret.
Mr. SWIFT MacNEILL: Relieve the
anxiety of the Noble Lord.
Mr. STUART-WORTLEY: Will the
Committee publish a Report?
The PRIME MINISTER : I do not think
a Report will be presented.
Licence Duties.
51. Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN
asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether the Return relating to the yield of
Licence Duties will be circulated to Mem-