§ Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 84. —(King's Recommendation signified.)
§ [Mr. BOWLES in the Chair]
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to amend the law relating to wireless telegraphy, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of—
and the payment into the Exchequer of any sums received by the Postmaster-General under that Act and any fines imposed for offences under that Act." —[Mr. Wilfred Paling.]
§ 7.50 p.m.
§ Mr. C. WilliamsI should like to ask the Government to give us a little information on paragraph (c). First, can the Postmaster-General give us any sort of idea of the expenses that may be incurred under this Money Resolution? It will be seen that it says:
any expenses incurred by the Postmaster-General for the purposes of that Act; and the payment into the Exchequer of any sums received by the Postmaster-General under that Act and any fines imposed for offences under that Act.I am sure that the Government have collected some information on this subject. A little time ago we were reminded that this might involve a vast number of officials at some period, and it is only right that we should take this opportunity to get some information on the subject. How many officials will be required for putting this particular part of the Measure into operation?
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingI cannot say how many. As the hon. Member will appreciate, the question of manpower is concerned here. As I stated earlier today, a number of our people are already engaged in this business and they ate doing it fairly satisfactorily in the great majority of cases. The cost of this service has been given, and it may be that if things do not go as well as we hope, we may have to put a few more people on to it.
§ Mr. WilliamsFifty?
§ Mr. PalingI do not know how many. It would depend on circumstances and the way things develop. The cost has been given as £125,000.
§ Mr. WilliamsThat is not very satisfactory. We cannot be left to live on hope for ever. We as a nation are concerned with manpower, and yet it is proposed under this Bill that a good many new officials will be employed for the purpose of prosecuting the women of this country because of things they do in their homes. All I can say is that I hope none at all will be needed, and that it is a great pity that the Postmaster-General did not definitely promise that he would put only one or two officials to deal with the matter. We are used to the Minister of Food employing a large number of officials. I am glad that the Postmaster-General is willing to cut the number necessary.
§ Mr. PalingMy hope is to be able to cut down the number.
§ Resolution to be reported upon Monday next.