§ 58. Mr. J. Morganasked the Minister of Agriculture what is the amount of financial grants made to the Great Ouse Catchment Board for each of the past three years; and what arrangements the Board have made for holidays with pay for their employés?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonAs the reply to the first part of the question contains a table of figures, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. With regard to the second part of the question, the Board have resolved that the same holidays with pay be granted to their workmen as are granted by the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Agricultural Wages Committee under the Holidays with Pay Act, 1938. That Committee have not yet reached a decision in the matter.
§ Mr. MorganIn regard to the first part of the question, will the right hon. Gentleman not admit that the sum is considerable, and in regard to the second part, is it not a fact that the holidays granted are the usual, with the normal Bank Holidays, with the exception of Good Friday, which has been excluded on the ground that amusements are not available then?
§ Mr. MorrisonI believe the grants are considerable. In regard to the second part of the question, I think the catchment board is acting properly in following the lead of the Committee which dealt with the question of holidays with pay.
§ Following is the reply to the first part of the question:
§ The amounts of Exchequer grants actually paid to the River Great Ouse Catchment Board during each of the last three complete financial years and during the current financial year are as follow:
| Year. | £ | s. | d | ||
| 1935–36 | … | … | 3,849 | 10 | 0 |
| 1936–37 | … | … | 16,912 | 11 | 2 |
| 1937–38 | … | … | 18,434 | 6 | 11 |
| 1938–39 | … | … | 8,135 | 0 | 3 |
| 47,331 | 8 | 4 |