§ 5. Mr. GILBERTasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number of the British staff employed by the League of Nations at Geneva; what is the approximate annual cost to this country; what part of this staff is employed on labour questions; and can he give approximately their cost out of the total amount?
§ Mr. PONSONBYThe reply to this question is rather long, and, with the permission of the House, I will have it circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The reply is as follows:
§ The staff of the Secretariat-General of the League at Geneva in October last numbered 391, of whom 124 were British. The staff of the International Labour Office at the same time numbered 332, of whom 81 were British. Citizens of the self-governing Dominions and India, which are separate members of the League, are not reckoned as British for this purpose. Salaries are paid by the League and not by the different Governments to their respective nationals. The budget of the Secretariat-General for 1924 estimates an expenditure of 5,581,862 gold francs for salaries and wages at Geneva, and the budget for the International labour Office 4,308,295 gold francs for the same purpose 2299 The total expenditure of the offices is 12,298,449 francs and 7,032,295 francs respectively. This country pays nearly one-tenth of the League expenses.