§ 18. Mr. RAPERasked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total emolument paid to Mr. Wintour, as general manager of the British Empire Exhibition; and what were the previous salaries paid to this gentleman when he was associated with, respectively, the Food Controller's Department and the Inter-Allied Trade and Banking Corporation?
§ Mr. BALDWINWith regard to the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Islington North on the 10th May last. As regards the second part of the question, Mr. Wintour's salary at the Ministry of Food was £1,750 per annum. I do not know what salary was paid to Mr. Wintour by the company referred to in the last part of the question.
§ Mr. RAPERIs the figure the right hon. Gentleman mentioned also the one he mentioned in the previous reply to the hon. Member for North Islington? Were those salaries free of Income Tax?
§ Mr. BALDWINI know of no salaries paid free of tax.
§ 19. Mr. RAPERasked the President of the Board of Trade what the item of £125,000, set down as from concessionaires, in the statement published in the Press on 16th December was for; if the concessions in question were open to competition; whether the whole or part of 14 the amusements section has been either given, or promised to Mr. L. Hart; if according to the memorandum of association, any member of the executive council or of any committee of the exhibition may derive benefit from the exhibition provided he discloses the same; and whether any of the guarantors have been given or promised any quid pro quo whatsoever in exchange for having guaranteed a certain sum?
§ Mr. BALDWINI am informed that the item of £125,000 included in the list of British Empire Exhibition guarantees published in the Press related to a guarantee given by Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons, the firm to whom the building contract was awarded. Lord South-borough, the chairman of the finance committee, has, in a letter to the "Times," dated 17th February, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy, explained fully the terms on which the executive council awarded this contract after opportunity had been given to other firms to quote. No concession has been given or promised to Mr. L. Hart. The memorandum of association of the British Empire Exhibition (1924), Incorporated, provides that no member of the executive council or of any committee can receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money's worth from the exhibition, with the exception of the repayment of out-of-pocket expenses and the payment of interest on loans. The memorandum contains the usual provision that the association are not to be debarred from making payments to railway, gas, electric lighting, water, cable or telephone companies of which a member of the council or committee may be a member, or any other company in which a member of the council or committee holds not more than one-hundredth part of the capital. No quid pro quo whatsoever has been given or promised to any individual guarantor in consideration of his having contributed to the guarantee fund, but it is the intention of the council, as far as practicable, to accord preference in the allotment of exhibiting space to those who have supported the exhibition by contributing to the guarantee fund. The allocation of all contracts and concessions will be decided solely on the merits of each case. The primary consideration in determining their award will be to secure the best possible services on the best possible 15 terms, which in some cases will quite properly include a contribution to the guarantee fund.