83 Mr. PIKE PEASEasked (1) whether, when forming the advisory committees for the National Health Insurance Act, due consideration was given to the relative importance of manufacturing industries; (2) whether he has refused representation of the leather trade on the advisory committees in connection with the National Insurance Act; and, if so, whether, in view of the importance of this industry in Great Britain, he will consider the advisability of having at least one representative of this industry on the committee; and (3) whether, with a view to the advantage of the advisory committees dealing with the National Insurance Act, he will consider the appointment as members of representatives of industries like the leather trade, which is of a technical nature, to enable the committees to give advice of a satisfactory nature when cases from technical industries of this character are being dealt with?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIn appointing members of the advisory committees under the National Insurance Act, great care was exercised by the Joint Committee and the several bodies of Commissioners to ensure that the different types of experience were adequately represented both as regards employers' associations and trade unions. It was essential to adhere to a numerical limit of membership which would enable the committees satisfactorily to perform their duties, and it was, therefore, necessary to group the various trades affected, with the result that many branches of trade necessarily received no individual representation. At the same time, the Commissioners are always ready to receive direct from those interested in any trade 26 suggestions with regard to regulations by which such a trade may be specially affected.