HC Deb 10 December 1928 vol 223 cc1694-6
44. Colonel WOODCOCK

asked the Minister of Labour the total expenses incurred by British delegates, advisers, and officials, for each of the last five years, in attending the various conferences and meetings of the International Labour Conference?

Mr. BETTERTON

As the reply contains a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Colonel WOODCOCK

Will the hon. Gentleman give me the last figure for which. I asked; and, in view of the fact that he has attended this conference, can he tell us whether in his opinion the small results achieved are commensurate with the amount of money spent and also the time that is given to the work?

Mr. BETTERTON

The figure for which the hon. and gallant Member asked, the figure for 1921, is £1,864.

Mr. MONTAGUE

Does the Minister of Labour know of any reason why the International Labour Office should be so persistently crabbed by the hon. and gallant Member for Everton (Colonel Woodcock)?

Colonel WOODCOCK

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the latter part of my supplementary question?

Following is the reply:

The total expenses incurred by British delegates, advisers, and officials in attending the various conferences and meetings of the International Labour Conference were:

Financial Year. £
1923 1,080
1924 2,206
1925 1,919
1926 1,896
1927 1,864

48. Colonel WOODCOCK

asked the Minister of Labour whether the buildings at Geneva for the International Labour Organisation are completed; what has been their total cost; and what amounts have been contributed by the British Government and the British Dominions?

Mr. BETTERTON

As the reply includes a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

The buildings at Geneva for the International Labour Organisation were completed in the summer of 1926.

Up to 31st December, 1927, payments on Building Fund Account amounted to 3,426,169 Swiss francs (approximately £135,851) and were met out of:

Swiss francs. Approx Sterling equivalent.
(a) A grant from the League of Nations (out of surplus of previous years). 3,301,388 £130,904
(b) Receipts from other sources. 170,478 £6.760

It is not possible to say how much Great Britain, or the other parts of the Empire contribute to the surpluses in question. The contribution of the former to League Funds has averaged about 10 per cent. and of the latter about 15 per cent.

49. Colonel WOODCOCK

asked the Minister of Labour the equivalent of the amount in sterling of the remuneration of the Director of the International Labour Office; and the equivalent of the sum in sterling paid to him by way of allowance for travelling or entertainment expenses as well as any other payments made to him by way of extras?

Mr. BETTERTON

The equivalent in sterling of the remuneration of the Director of the International Labour Office is approximately £3,570, and of the sum paid to him by way of personal allowance for entertainment expenses is approximately £1,190. Travelling expenses on the authorised scale are refunded to the Director, as to the rest of the staff, as and when they are necessarily incurred.

Colonel WOODCOCK

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the object of putting down these questions is to save the smallest amount of the taxpayers' money from being wasted?