§ 79. Mr. WILLIAM WATSONasked the Minister of Labour whether:he is aware that at the last meeting of the finance committee of the governing body of the International Labour Office proposals for a reduction amounting to £500,000 in the estimates were brought forward in the name of Great Britain and accepted by the governing body; whether these proposals were authorised by his Department; what were the heads of the reduction; and whether he has received a Report as to the effect of the reduction on the work of the International Labour Office?
§ Mr. SHAWI am afraid my hon. Friend has been misinformed. The total budget of the International Labour Office for 1924 was 7,032,295 gold francs, which is rather more than £300,000, and the budget for 1925, approved by the finance committee of the governing body at its meeting in April, was 7,119,595 francs—an increase of 87,300 francs. The estimate for 1925 originally suggested by the Director of the International Labour Office was 7,570,203 francs. The economies on these proposals to the extent of 456,608 francs, which were accepted by the governing body were, to a large extent, suggested by the representative of Great Britain, who was acting in accordance with the instructions of the Government. Reductions to the extent of 250,000 francs were effected under the headings for "Materials, etc.," and to the extent of 206,609 francs under the heading for "Staff Salaries, etc." There is certainly no reason to suppose that the work of the office will be adversely affected by these economies, or the Government would not have suggested them.