§ Mr. REMERasked the Minister of Transport how many officials in his employ are engaged in compiling statistics and what is their aggregate salary; and whether, in view of the fact that the unanimous opinion of the commercial community is that there is no utility for these statistics, he will take steps to dismiss these needless officials?
§ Sir E. GEDDESThe number of officials of all grades employed in the Statistics Branch of the Ministry at the present time is forty, and their aggregate salaries, including war bonus, amounts to £11,890 a year. I entirely dissent from the statement made in the latter part of the question as to the alleged opinion of the commercial community.
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§ Mr. REMERasked the Minister of Transport how many members of his staff are engaged in issuing orders to the local railway managers; whether he is aware that in the opinion of practical commercial people many of these orders are unworkable; whether he proposes in the interests of economy to dismiss these people at once; and when he proposes to close down his Department?
§ Sir E. GEDDESDirections given by the Minister to railway companies are issued to the directors. No orders are issued by the staff of the Ministry of Transport to local railway managers, and the remainder of the question does not, therefore, arise.