§ 37. Mr. CROOKSasked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, from what source the Committee of Inquiry into the architects and surveyors and engineering divisions of His Majesty's Office of Works, London, obtained the evidence upon which they based the derogatory statements concerning the unestablished architectural staff (styled draughtsmen) made in their Report dated 22nd October, 1913; and whether he knows that such statements have been proved, from a careful census which has been taken during the last three weeks, to be inaccurate and misleading, and that in the majority of branches visited by this Committee the draughtsmen were not interrogated as to their work, experience, or qualifications?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Montagu)The steps taken by the Committee to obtain evidence are summarised in the second paragraph of their Report. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.