§ 14. Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. LAMBERT WARDasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of staff at home and abroad employed by the Clearing Office for Enemy Debts; and to what number it is proposed to reduce the staff as at 1st July?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe staff of the Clearing Office (Enemy Debts) at present numbers 366. Three officers are under notice terminating their present appointments at the end of June.
§ Sir A. LAMBERT WARDCan the President of the Board of Trade give any indication as to how long he considers it will be necessary to keep this Department in existence?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo, there is always this difficulty. Many of the outstanding cases are very involved in character, but I have always thought, without committing myself to a date, that it should be finished in the near future. I cannot, however, name any date.
§ Colonel GRETTONHas the right hon. Gentleman been to the office to see for himself what is going on?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo, but I became very familiar with the circumstances to which reference is made during the five years that I was Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.