§ 20. Brigadier-General Sir O. THOMASasked the Minister of Transport who is responsible for the appointment of the Thames Conservancy; whether a statement of revenue and expenditure is published or submitted to any authority other than the Conservancy; what was the revenue and expenditure for last year; and what remuneration the members of the Conservancy receive?
§ Sir E. GEDDESThe appointment of members of the Thames Conservancy rests with the bodies mentioned in the 3rd Schedule to the Port of London Act, 1908, but two out of the four members to be appointed there under by the Board of Trade are now appointed by the Minister of Transport. The annual accounts of the Conservancy are presented to Parliament by the Conservators each year. No remuneration is payable to the Conservators other than the Chairman, to whom the Conservators may pay such annual sum not exceeding £700 as they, with the approval of the Minister, think fit. I understand, however, that the present Chairman gives his services free.
§ Sir O. THOMASIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the licence for pleasure boats has been increased by 1,200 per cent., inflicting a terrible hardship on a comparatively poor class of men, and that, while the revenue of the Conservancy is about £85,000, the cost of administering that revenue is over £14,000?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member seems to have more information than the right hon. Gentleman.