§ 44. Mr. Gordon Macdonaldasked the Minister of Labour whether he can make any statement on the manner in which collaboration between the League of Nations and the International Labour Office is proceeding in the matter of international migration; and whether, in view of the movements of population from Central Europe to-day, he will urge the need for speeding up such work?
§ Mr. E. BrownI have been in communication with the Director of the International Labour Office on this matter. I have received from him a statement as to the present position, which, with the hon. Member's permission, I propose to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the statement:
§ In accordance with the decision of the Governing Body at its 83rd Session in April, 1938, the report of the Technical Conference of Experts on Migration for Settlement was communicated to Governments and to the Secretary General of the League. The report was examined by the Economic Committee of the League at its 48th Session in July, 1938, and that Committee, in its report to the Council, considered that a permanent international committee of the kind suggested" might be useful and might lead to practical results if there is such a degree of organisation among the countries concerned as will enable them to co-operate fully in the manner contemplated." The report was also submitted to the 1938 Assembly, 162 which, after referring to the above mentioned resolution of the Economic Committee and to the fact that the International Labour Organisation had taken steps to discover which States would be prepared to co-operate in the work of the proposed committee, expressed the hope "that the Governments' replies will be of a nature to permit the establishment of such a body." The replies of the Governments have come in very slowly, but a number of affirmative replies have now been received, and it is hoped that the Office will be able to submit a report to the Governing Body on the subject at an early date.