§ 40. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Minister of National Insurance how many salaried appointments in convenient categories have been made, to the latest available date, under the National Insurance Act; and what is the annual sum represented by these appointments.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Insurance (Mr. Steele)I would refer the hon. Member to the Estimates for my Department for 1948–49 included in the Civil Estimates Class V. The numbers employed and the salary costs have conformed substantially with the information given in those Estimates.
§ Sir W. SmithersIn view of the fact that those Estimates showed a large increase, is not the hon. Gentleman aware that at a time when the leaders of his party are calling for increased production this increased expenditure increases our costs of production and impedes or destroys our ability to compete in the markets of the world; and is he not further aware that the first social service must be food?