§ 51. Sir NEWTON MOOREasked the Prime Minister whether, in the necessity of exercising the strictest economy in the administration of the affairs of State and the fact that the ordinary functions of the Government have to a large extent been relegated to outside commissions, committees and other bodies, he will take the necessary steps to reduce the number of Ministers and thus relieve the taxpayers?
§ 63. Sir N. MOOREasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, in framing his forthcoming budget, he will consider the adoption of the policy, followed in 1121 most business organisations when times are bad, of reducing the number of redundant Ministerial officials?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Philip Snowden)The assumption made by the hon. Member that
the ordinary functions of the Government have to a large extent been relegated to outside commissions, committees, and other bodiesis wrong and so it is not proposed to adopt his suggestion.
§ Sir N. MOOREIs it not a fact that there are no less than 58 Cabinet Ministers, Under-Secretaries of State, and Parliamentary Secretaries engaged in the Government of 40,000,000 people as compared with eight Cabinet Ministers in the United States which has a very much larger population?