§ 5. Sir Harold Webbeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what control His Majesty's Government exercise over the expenditure of the League of Nations?
§ Mr. LawIn normal times control over the expenditure of the League of Nations is exercised through the Assembly, advised by the Supervisory Commission, the accounts being audited by an independent auditor. During the war period when the Assembly has not been meeting, it has delegated its functions to the Supervisory Commission, which has exercised a vigilant control over the expenditure of all organs of the League. The Supervisory Commission now includes three persons drawn from the British Commonwealth. Until his recent death it also included Sir F. Phillips, a member of His Majesty's Treasury.
§ Sir H. WebbeIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that, through this representation of the Supervisory Commission, the expenditure of the money largely provided by His Majesty's Government is in fact on a proper basis and that there is no undue waste?
§ Mr. McGovernWould it not be better to wind up this bogus and bankrupt concern?
§ 7. Squadron-Leader Donnerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether those States which have defaulted on their contributions to the League of Nations are still considered to be members; and how long a State is entitled to be considered a member after default?
§ Mr. LawThe answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. No time limit for the payment of arrears has been established.
§ 8. Major Petherickasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proportion the annual contribution of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to the upkeep of the League of Nations bears to the total contributions now being paid; and what proportion is paid by the British Empire as a whole?
§ Mr. LawOn the basis of contributions paid in the year 1942, the proportion paid by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom is 29.57 per cent. of the League's income and by the British Commonwealth and Empire 61.59 per cent.
§ Major PetherickIs it not obvious that the League of Nations is now run predominantly by the British Empire, and has it not therefore ceased to be a League of Nations as it was originally contemplated, and is it not time that the whole thing was wound up?
§ Mr. LawsonWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us the cause of all these questions? Do I take it that hon. Gentlemen opposite are against all co-operation with other nations?
§ Mr. ManderIs it not sufficient for hon. Members to have murdered the League without continually stirring up trouble?
§ Rear-Admiral BeamishWill my right hon. Friend do everything he possibly can to prevent semi-official bodies who have taken the name of the League of Nations from doing irreparable injury to this country as they did before the war?
§ Mr. LawThat is another question, and, with regard to the main question, it has been made clear that His Majesty's Government attach very great importance to those sections of the League which are now in existence and in active operation.
§ Mr. R. J. TaylorMay I ask whether these questions denote a difference of opinion between the Chairman of the Tory Party and the members of the Tory Party?