HC Deb 30 November 1925 vol 188 cc1810-1
35. Mr. HARMSWORTH

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give the number and the aggregate of salaries of existing officials of local authorities performing functions which would be affected by the passing into law of the Rating and Valuation Bill; the number and aggregate of salaries of new officials who would be, appointed; and the number of officials who would be displaced, together with the total amount of compensation to be paid to displaced officials?

Sir K. WOOD

My fight hon. Friend is unable to state definitely the number and the aggregate salaries of existing officials of local authorities whose functions would be transferred under the Rating and Valuation Bill, but it has been estimated that the number of such officers is between 12,000 and 13,000 and the aggregate of their salaries about £1,000,000. These existing officers would under the Bill become officers of the new assessment, and rating authorities, and it will be for the new authorities, in considering the organisation of their staffs, to determine to what extent the services of transferred officers should be retained or can be dispensed with. No estimate of the cost of compensation can in the circumstances be made, but my right hon. Friend anticipates that any expenditure on that head will be counterbalanced by savings effected through the concentration of staffs. There appears no reason to suppose that any new officials will be appointed at the time of the transfer.

Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLE

May we take it as a general reply to our constituents on the subject, that there will be no substantial saving in the near future, although there will be a considerable saving later on?

Sir K. WOOD

I should prefer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to confine himself to the terms of my reply.

Sir ROBERT SANDERS

May we take it from my hon. Friend's reply that the present local officials so employed are more likely to be decreased than increased?

Sir K. WOOD

It all depends upon whether the local authorities continue thorn in their employment or not.