§ 49. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEasked the Prime Minister what steps, if any, it is proposed to take to define the respective activities of the staff of the National Economic Council and the chief economic adviser to His Majesty's Government, with a view to the avoidance of duplication of work?
Mr. SNOWDENMy right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is a member of the Council, and the chief economic adviser will attend meetings and receive papers. There is no risk of duplication of work.
§ Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLEArising out of the answer, and out of the answer which the Prime Minister gave me yesterday, can the right hon. Gentleman in any respect justify the appointment of three new officials at very high salaries in this connection?
Mr. SNOWDENI am not aware of the answer given yesterday to the hon. 1152 Member, but I am sure there is plenty of justification for the appointment of these officials.
§ Colonel ASHLEYAs the Chancellor of the Exchequer must obviously have sanctioned the expenditure, how can he say that he is not aware of this?
Mr. SNOWDENI think the right hon. and gallant Gentleman must have misheard or misunderstood what was said. The hon. Member's question raises no point with regard to cost. That was raised in questions to which a reply was given last week. During the present year, at any rate, the cost, is negligible.
§ Mr. HANNONWill the right hon. Gentleman tell the House what are the precise functions which the Economic Council is about to undertake?
§ 52. Mr. FREEMANasked the Prime Minister whether he is prepared to add persons representative of Welsh interests to the Economic Advisory Council?
Mr. SNOWDENThe Council was not chosen on a racial or a geographical basis. I think my hon. Friend may rest assured that the industrial and economic interests of Wales, as of the rest of the Kingdom, will be fully borne in mind by the Council.