HC Deb 26 March 1947 vol 435 cc197-8W
72. Mr. Skinnard

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, how many people are employed in the department of the Comptroller of Development and Welfare in the West Indies; what are the qualifications of the senior staff; and what are their salaries.

Mr. Creech Jones

There are 23 senior staff and 25 subordinate. Apart from five administrative officers, the senior staff comprise advisers and their assistants on agriculture, economics, education, engineering, labour, medicine, social welfare and town planning. All the advisory staff hold high professional qualifications and several, in addition to the Comptroller himself, have Colonial or related experience. The salaries of the advisers range from £1,200 to £1,700 a year, with certain allowances in addition. The salaries of their assistants and of the administrative staff average £650 a year, with allowances in addition. Full particulars are given in the Colonial Office Estimates, subhead C.

73. Mr. Skinnard

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what schemes put forward by the Department of the Comptroller of Development and Welfare in the West Indies have been accepted by the Governments of the individual West Indian Colonies; which Governments have called for and benefited from the department's advice; and whether he is satisfied with the machinery set up to coordinate development schemes in the West Indies.

Mr. Creech Jones

The normal procedure is not for schemes to be put forward by the Comptroller for acceptance by the West Indian Governments, but for them to be prepared in joint consultation by, the Comptroller and his advisers and the Government concerned. Full particulars of schemes up to 1944 are given in appendices to the Comptroller's report for 1943–44 (Colonial No. 189) and the list will be brought up to date in his report for 1945–46 which is shortly to be published. All the Governments have made use of the advice of the Comptroller and his staff. As to the last part of the Question, the present arrangements can be said to have worked reasonably well They are, and will continue to be, reviewed from time to time in the light of experience.