46. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will expedite 810 his inquiries into the number of civil servants employed by the various Ministries and take steps to secure a substantial reduction; and whether he will give the probable date of a report on these matters.
§ Mr. DaltonI would refer the hon. Member to my statement on this matter on 17th April. A further Government statement will be made shortly.
Mr. De la BèreWould the right hon. Gentleman give the "Economic Survey for 1947" a touch of reality, and might we know really whether the Government are treating this matter as at all urgent?
§ Mr. DaltonIt is one among a number of very important matters which are being considered just now.
Mr. De la BèreOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. May I seek your guidance with regard to this matter, which is one of great importance? Would it be possible to move the Adjournment or the Closure, or is there any other step I might take?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman can always try but it does not always mean that he will succeed.
Mr. De la BèreMight I try now, Mr. Speaker? The Government are doing nothing whatever about this matter. It is a crying scandal.
§ Mr. W. R. WilliamsMay I ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to exercise similar care in any inquiry he makes with regard to a reduction of staff, particularly in Departments such as the Post Office, so that the reduction will not be of such an order as to prove a serious handicap to the industrial and commercial recovery of this nation?
§ Mr. DaltonThe size of the staff must be related to the problem to be solved. We must always remember that. When there are debates about policies, it must be remembered that a staff should be related to the problem to be solved.