§ 12. Sir A. POWNALLasked the Minister of Labour what is the cost of the inquiries held by her Department into 566 the question of instituting a trade board for the catering trade?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThere are items of expenditure still outstanding in connection with the recent public inquiry with regard to the Draft Special Order applying the Trade Boards Acts to the catering trade, and it is not yet possible to say what the total cost will be. Official investigations into conditions in various branches of the catering trade were undertaken in 1925 and 1929 as part, of the normal duties of the staff of the Ministry of Labour. No additional staff was engaged for this purpose.
§ Sir A. POWNALLCan the right hon. Lady say if the Law Officers of the Crown were consulted before the proceedings were started?
§ Mr. HERBERT GIBSONHas the right hon. Lady any idea of the cost to those opponents of the trade board?
§ Miss BONDFIELDI have not the slightest idea, but it is considerable.