§ Mr. HOGGEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether any expenditure has been incurred or salaries paid, and, if so, to what amount, in preparations for the Pageant of Empire and other Government participations in the British Empire Exhibition; the total cost of the pageant and other matters for which the Government has taken responsibility; and under what Vote such expenditure has been, or will be, incurred?
§ Mr. LUNNThe total expenditure to date in connection with the participation of His Majesty's Government in the British Empire Exhibition is £67,868, comprised as follows:—
Government exhibit, £65,563 (including £12,678 salaries and wages).
Pageant, £805 (includes £658 salaries and wages).
Educational bulletin, £1,500 (includes £127 salaries and wages).
No expenditure has yet been incurred in preparations for the massed hand concerts or the torchlight tattoo which it is also proposed to organise.
- (a) The total cast of the Government exhibit is estimated at £175,000.
- (b) The total cost of the pageant is estimated at £62,500.
- (c) The total cost of massed band concerts is estimated at £12,500.
- (d) The total cost of services torchlight tattoo is estimated at £10,000.
- (e) The total cost of the weekly bulletin of Empire study is estimated at £6,000.
It is estimated that the cost of (b), (c) and (d) will be covered by receipts for admission shown in the estimate as Appropriations-in-Aid. The cost of the bulletin is already covered by subscriptions.
The expenditure for 1923–24, estimated at £118,000, will be accounted for under 1583W Supplementary Estimate, Class VI, put forward Within one year from the Vote 15, and for 1924–25 (£57,000) under Unclassified Services, Vote 14.