§ 94. Sir WILLIAM COTTSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what has been the total amount of State-aided emigration from Great Britain in 1923 up to the most recent date possible?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)The total number of persons who have received State aid for the purposes of emigration during the six months ended the 30th June last is 18,823.
§ 95. Sir W. COTTSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what was the total expenditure under the Empire Settlement Act during the past financial year and how much it is proposed to expend during the current year?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe actual expenditure in the financial year 1922–23 was £35,463 15s. 8d., and, as shown in the Estimates (Class V, 3), the anticipated expenditure for the current financial year is £1,159,100. The Empire Settlement Act was not passed until the 31st May, 1922, and some time necessarily elapsed before schemes under the Act could be brought into operation.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONHas any report yet been received from the Empire settlement delegation with regard to the progress of settlement?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREFrom the delegation which went to Australia?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONYes.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORESeveral letters have been received in the matter, but I have not as yet received what would be called a formal report.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONWill the hon. Gentleman consult with the Prime Minister as to the advisability of publishing these reports, in view of the disquieting rumours—many of them unfounded—which prevail at present in this country?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORECertainly, that will be taken into consideration. We shall publish as much information as we can when we can.