official post, the Minister concerned must first give his consent, with or without the condition that professional secrecy is to be observed. A Minister himself may be requested to appear and give explanations to the committee on points of policy. Although, in theory, a Minister is not obliged to appear before the committee, a refusal to do so would not be in harmony with French parliamentary traditions. All papers which the committee desires to consult are communicated to it through its chairman by the competent Minister. Should the latter consider that reasons of State forbid him to communicate any document thus asked for, the Minister informs the chairman of the committee, which usually acquiesces in the Minister's view. If the committee persists in its demand, the matter is brought before the Chamber. Should the latter support the committee, such action is likely to bring about a Ministerial crisis.
'In certain cases, the Committee for Foreign Affairs may be invested by the Chamber with the powers of a special commission of enquiry. These powers include the right of hearing sworn witnesses and of pursuing investigations in any part of France or abroad.
'There is no permanently constituted Committee for Foreign Affairs in the Senate. Bills submitted to this Assembly concerning foreign affairs are referred to a special committee. In some cases, especially when the matter is pressing, they are merely referred to the Senate Finance Committee. The same rules respecting the summoning of witnesses, official or non-official, as obtain in the case of the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the Chamber apply in the committees of the Senate.
'The General Budget Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, which is the most important of all parliamentary committees, is also composed of forty-four members nominated by the House in the same manner as the Committee for Foreign Affairs, but, unlike the latter, is elected for one year only. It appoints a reporter[1] for each of the departmental budgets, who, for the purposes of his report, has necessarily to be in close touch with the Minister and departments
