Labour Advisory Committee

HC Deb 13 December 1950 vol 482 cc1123-4

31. Mr. Alport

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which members of the Colonial Labour Advisory Committee have had administrative experience of the problems of trade unionism in colonial territories.

Mr. J. Griffiths

The unofficial members of my Colonial Labour Advisory Committee have been appointed in a personal capacity to advise me in the light of their varied experience of labour problems. All except two of them have firsthand knowledge of colonial Labour con- ditions. When administrative or other special experience of any subject is needed the Committee has power to co-opt or consult persons who can contribute it. Quite recently the Committee were able to confer with five colonial Labour Commissioners.

Mr. Alport

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean that one or more members of this Committee have actually served in the Labour Department of any Colonial Government or have acted as trade union advisers to any Colonial Government?

Mr. Griffiths

No. What I said was that they were persons who had first-hand knowledge of colonial labour conditions.