§ 8. Mr. L. SMITHasked the Minister of Labour whether her Department has any sort of costing system under which it is possible to allocate to the different branches of Employment Exchange 672 activity the percentage of expenditure sanctioned by the House of Commons which may be incurred in carrying on such different branches; and, if no such costing system exists, whether she will consider the desirability of its immediate introduction?
§ Miss BONDFIELDSuch statistics of staff and work as are required for economical management and effective control are maintained. A costing system for the various items of work performed at the Employment Exchanges would entail considerable expense, and it does not appear that this expense would be likely to be justified by the practical value of the figures obtained.
§ Mr. SMITHHaving regard to the fact that the original function of the Employment Exchange was to introduce a man to employment, does not the right hon. Lady consider it advisable to find out the cost of such introductions?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThere is no question of any charge for placing people in employment, and the work varies so enormously in different districts that I do not see any value in trying to separate the cost of the work done by a man in placing as compared with the work done by the same man in other work of the Exchange.
§ Mr. SMITHCannot the right hon. Lady define the expenditure of the Exchanges on what they were originally intended for and on what they are now doing?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI will certainly look into it.