§ 46. Mr. Pickthornasked the Minister without Portfolio, who form the committee appointed by Nuffield College to undertake the social reconstruction survey; what are its terms of reference; what staff it employs; how much of its expenditure will be borne on public funds; and on what Vote?
§ The Minister without Portfolio (Mr. Arthur Greenwood)The Committee of the Social Reconstruction Survey consists of the following members appointed by the Committee of Nuffield College: —
Mr. G. D. H. Cole (Chairman): The Master of Balliol; The Principal of Lady Margaret Hall;
Professor A. G. B. Fisher;
Professor D. H. Macgregor;
Professor A. L. Bowley;
Mr. R. C. K. Ensor;
Miss A. Headlam-Morley; and
Mr. C. H. Wilson.
The Committee of the Survey have co-opted the following members:—
Dr. C. S. Orwin;
Miss Margery Perham;
Mr. G. Montagu Harris; and
Professor Patrick Abercrombie.
The terms of reference of the Survey are, briefly, to inquire into the redistribution of industry and population brought about by the war and the extent to which this redistribution is likely to persist in the post-war period; into the effects of war conditions on the working of public social services (other than the hospital service); into the changes in conditions of living due to evacuation and similar measures taken to meet the war situation, and into the bearing of all these factors on the general problem of national reorganisation after the war.
In addition to the Chairman, the senior staff of the central office of the Survey consists of five full-time research workers and one part-time research worker. There is also a clerical staff consisting of five persons. The Survey employs, in different areas of the country, 21 chief local investigators, two of whom are members of the senior staff of the Survey. To assist them in their inquiries in the areas assigned to them, chief local investigators 1347 have appointed a number of assistant investigators. The work of all local investigators, except; those employed on the central staff of the Survey, is of a part-time character, and most local investigators are giving their services free. The bulk of the expenses of the Survey during the current financial year will be borne by the independent resources of Nuffield College, but the Government have undertaken to meet a grant not exceeding £5,000, to be borne on the Treasury Vote, towards the expenses of the Survey in that year.
§ Mr. LoftusAmong the names the right hon. Gentleman read out is there any agricultural expert, and if not, in view of the vital importance of the last question, will he include one?
§ Mr. GreenwoodI should have thought the hon. Member might have known of Dr. Orwin.
§ Mr. StephenDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think there should have been some leading representative of the industrial movement included on this Committee—some well-known trade unionist?
§ Mr. GreenwoodI see no reason why. This is an investigation, and investigators are not necessarily experts.
§ Mr. StephenDoes the right hon. Gentleman not realise that there is a necessity for people with practical as well as academic knowledge, in making such researches?
§ Mr. GreenwoodA number of the investigators are people of practical experience, and, in any case, investigators can always see people of practical experience.