§ 7. Mr. EDEasked the Secretary for Mines what is the total expenditure to date out of the Welfare Fund; and is any alteration of policy anticipated?
§ Mr. FOOTThe total payments made out of the Miners' Welfare Fund to 18th September, 1931, amounted to £9,147,801. No alteration of policy has been under consideration, as a Committee of inquiry was appointed in July last.
§ Mr. SHINWELLCan the hon. Gentleman say when the Committee will report?
§ Mr. FOOTI understand that the Committee has made certain preliminary arrangements. It was only appointed in July by my predecessor, under the chairmanship of Viscount Chelmsford, and I have no report as to their progress, but I shall obtain that later.
§ Mr. FOOTThe terms of reference were these:
To inquire how far the objects of Section 20 of the Mining Industry Act, 1920, have been met, what remains to be done, and whether the scope of the fund and the existing machinery for its administration as defined in that Section and as developed in practice are satisfactory for the future; and to report on all these matters with particular reference to the question of the amount and duration of the levy in the future.