50. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will consider reorganising the National Fitness Council for England and Wales, in view of the unproductiveness of the council's work during the last two years?
Mr. LindsayNo, Sir, I cannot for a moment accept the suggestion that the Council's work has been unproductive. Over £1,500,000 has already been offered towards 865 schemes involving a capital expenditure of over £4,000,000 on playing fields, boys' clubs, youth hostels, gymnasia, swimming baths and expert leadership. In this way much has been done and much more will be done to meet the demands which the Act was designed to satisfy.
Mr. De la BèreIs my hon. Friend aware that the National Fitness Council have helped those who were not in need of help and have not helped those who really did need help; and is he further aware that when I was in Evesham yesterday I found that many of my constituents do not think the Council have done any good at all?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs the Minister aware that if the hon. Member will study the facts he will reach a very different conclusion?
Mr. AclandThe Minister stated that £1,500,000 has been offered. Could he say how much has been spent?
Mr. LindsayI should need to have notice of that question before I could state the exact amount, but I would point out that there is a time lag between the offering of the money and the spending of the money. In reply to the observation of my hon. Friend the Member for Evesham (Mr. De la Bère) I am glad to have had some contradiction from the Opposition benches.
Mr. LindsayThe grants offered are graduated according to the poverty of the area, and the poorer areas get up to 80 or 90 per cent. grant.
§ 53. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether it is intended that this country, or an association of British people, are to be present, or represented, at the International Congress for Leisure and Recreation or Congress of Joy and Work?
Mr. LindsayNo, Sir. The representatives of the National Fitness Council have resigned from membership of the International Advisory Committee and other committees associated with the World Congress on Recreation and Leisure Time.
§ Mr. SmithWill the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this decision will be welcomed by all people who have the future interests of Britain at heart, and will he point it out as an example to be followed by other people in high places, particularly certain lords and their women folk in this country?
§ Mr. ManderWill the Minister say why the British representatives resigned?
Mr. LindsayBecause the movement is being increasingly used by Germany as an instrument of political propaganda.