31. Sir F. HALLasked the Minister of Labour whether, with regard to the proposed new post at the International Labour Office for the purpose of coordinating the work of the administrative section of the department, he will state what will be the duties and the salary attached to the position and by whom the appointment will be made; and whether arrangements could be made for the British officials connected with the Labour Office to submit an annual summary of the results achieved by the activities of the Labour Office and the expenditure incurred in securing those results, with a view to such statement being issued as a White Paper?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe duties of the holder of this new post will be to take charge of the present administrative and publications sections of the office. The salary, as sanctioned by the governing body, will be 38,500 Swiss francs, rising by annual increments of 2,000 to 47,000. The appointment to the new post will be made by the director of the International Labour Office, in accordance with Article 395 of the Treaty of Versailles, and it will lie with the director to decide whether the new post is to be filled by the newly appointed official or by one of the existing officials of similar rank. As regards the last part of the question, I would point out that the annual reports of the director and details of the expenditure are available in published form.
Sir F. HALLIs it not the case that the expenses in connection with this department, after having gone down, are now steadily increasing, and has it been the particular desire of Germany that this new official should be appointed?
§ Mr. BETTERTONWith regard to the last part of my hon. and gallant Friend's supplementary question, it depends upon Article 395 of the Treaty of Versailles, in which it is declared that the staff of the International Labour Office shall be appointed by the director. With regard to the first part of the supplementary question, our Estimates show that there is a small increase this year as compared with last year, which, speaking from memory, I think is about £2,000.
Sir F. HALLIs it not the case that, although previously there had been a considerable reduction, there has been during the last three or four years a continual rise in the expenditure, amounting to something like £60,000, and will my hon. Friend take steps to minimise the cost of this Department?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI do not think it is anything like £60,000. My recollection is that it is something like £33,000. In any case, it is the fact, as my hon. and gallant Friend says, that there has been a small increase.
§ Colonel WOODCOCKWill the appointment of this new official involve any additional cost to the British Government?
§ Mr. BETTERTONWe provide our quota of the general expenses of the Office. I think, again speaking from recollection, that it is about. 10.5 per cent. of the total.