HC Deb 05 March 1923 vol 161 c12
29. Mr. TREVELYAN

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as part of the conditions which the Austrian Government is being required to accept in order to obtain an international loan of £26,000,000 under the scheme of the League of Nations, the legal eight-hour day, old age pensions, and sickness insurance are to be abolished in Austria?

Mr. McNEILL

The conditions accepted by the Austrian Government in connection with the League of Nations scheme are contained in the Protocols signed at Geneva, which were communicated to Parliament in Command Paper No. 1765 Austria No. 1 (1922).

Mr. SNOWDEN

Do the conditions laid down include one that the Austrian Government shall abolish the legal eight-hour day?

Mr. McNEILL

If the hon. Gentleman will look at the White Paper I think he will see that those conditions are not made.

Captain BERKELEY

Is it not the fact that the scheme was voluntarily adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Austrian Parliament.?

Mr. McNEILL

I believe that is correct.