Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the-Under-Secretary of State for India what salaries or allowances, if any, are to be 1695 paid to the members of the Committee appointed to advise the Government of India in the laying out of the new capital city at Delhi?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY Of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Montagu)The members of the Committee will receive their travelling and living expenses, and the following fees for a five months' engagement: Captain Swinton, 500 guineas; Mr. Brodie, 1,750 guineas; Mr. Lutyens, 1,500 guineas. The Secretary of State has also undertaken to refund to the Corporation of Liverpool the amount of Mr. Brodie's salary for the period of his absence.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEWill any Indian architect be co-opted on to this Committee?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Governor-General will probably associate with the Committee officers whom he will select when they get to India.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEI do not think the hon. Gentleman understood my question, which is whether an Indian architect will be appointed, not an Anglo-Indian?
§ Mr. MONTAGUNo Indian architect has been selected by the Secretary of State. Such Indian architect, if any, would be selected by the Governor-General.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked whether the selection of Captain Swinton as a member of the Committee to lay out the new capital city at Delhi was made at the request of the Government of India or whether it was suggested by the Secretary of State; and what special qualifications as a town-planning expert are possessed by this gentleman?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe offer of service on the Committee was made to Captain Swinton at the request of the Government of India, but the Secretary of State takes full responsibility for the appointment. It was thought desirable to associate with the professional members of the Committee a layman with experience of the administrative problems of a great city. Captain Swinton has served for eleven years on the London County Council.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTMay I ask whether this Captain Swinton is the same Captain Swinton who is the chairman of 1696 the London County Council, and whether the Government have received any complaint as to political corruption from the other side in regard to that appointment?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe answer to the first question is in the affirmative, and the answer to the second question is not yet.