§ 47. Mr. Woodburnasked the Minister without Portfolio whether, in planning for post-war reconstruction, he will consider bringing together into one national superannuation scheme all the private, municipal and national superannuation and pension schemes to remove the overlapping, anomalies and multiplication of existing schemes and staffs?
§ The Minister without Portfolio (Mr. Arthur Greenwood)My hon. Friend's suggestion is being borne in mind. He will be aware of the statement made last Thursday by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent (Mr. Ellis Smith) that a thorough overhaul of the existing schemes of social insurance, including pensions insurance, is now being undertaken.
§ Mr. WoodburnWill the Minister keep in mind that practically the whole population now come under some pension scheme or other, and that a great deal of overlapping must necessarily take place, both in accounting and otherwise; and will he keep in mind the possibility of combining all these into one big superannuation scheme?
§ Mr. GreenwoodI should not like to pledge myself to the latter part of my hon. Friend's question, but the need for this survey arises largely out of the considerations which my hon. Friend has put to me.
§ 48. Mr. Manderasked the Minister without Portfolio whether he will give particulars of the organisation of his Department; the numbers employed; the estimated total cost; and what progress has been made in the study of post-war world organisation?
§ Mr. GreenwoodThe work of investigating problems of reconstruction is under the general direction of a Ministerial Committee of the War Cabinet, of which I am Chairman. As I stated in reply to a Question on 30th of January last by my hon. Friend the Member for Eccles (Mr. Cary), the major part of the work of investigation falls upon the Departments concerned and upon various organisations with which we are in consultation. It would be impracticable to estimate the cost of this work as in very many cases it forms only part of the duties performed by the staff engaged upon it. For the secretarial work in connection with the Ministerial Committee and for the general supervision of the work I have the immediate assistance of a staff of seven persons whose total remuneration amounts to £5,264 a year. As regards the last part of the Question, certain aspects of reconstruction are already the subject of consultation with Dominion Governments and other aspects will be discussed at the appropriate time; and post-war problems in the Colonies are under examination. I am in close touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs as regards the international aspect of post-war problems which are under consideration.
§ Mr. ManderMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether, in addition to the Dominion Governments with whom consultations are taking place, the Allied Governments are also being consulted?
§ Mr. GreenwoodIndeed, yes.