§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action has been taken by the Government with respect to each of the recommendations in the Third Report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure for the Session of 1917 and in the First and Second Reports of the Committee for the Session of 1918, and with respect to the recommendations in paragraph 17 of the First Report of 1917, repeated in paragraph 34 of the Second Report of 1917, and in paragraphs 38, 44, 57, 62, 64, 65, and 80 in the Second Report of 1917; if he will state what progress has been made by the Committees appointed in pursuance of the recommendations in paragraphs 15 (3) and 33 (2) of that Report; and what appointments, if any, have been made in pursuance of the recommendation in paragraph 15 (1)?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWsubmitted the following: 1719W
Recommendations. Action taken. Paragraph 15 (3).—Committee on Staffs. The Committee on Staffs, under the chairmanship of Sir John Bradbury, has obtained detailed returns from a number of Departments and has recently submitted an interim Report on recruitment of staffs which is now under the consideration of the Government. The Committee, with the authority of the War Cabinet, is appointing inspectors to go into the various Departments in order to investigate staffing conditions. The necessary arrangements are now being made for these inquiries to take place. Paragraph 33 (2).—Committee on Cost of Living. The Committee under the chairmanship of Lord Sumner has not yet reported, but has held several meetings and has taken the necessary steps to obtain detailed information with regard to household budgets. 1720W1721W
WAR OFFICE. Recommendations. Reply already given. Further Remarks by War Office. Second Report (Session 1917), paragraph 34.—Inquiry into the review of the expenditure on the forces at home. Such economies as are practicable are being introduced, but it is, of course, essential to maintain an adequate force for Home defence. No further observations. Paragraphs 37 and 38.—Inquiries should be made from time to time as to a possible reduction of the military staff at the War Office. A Committee has been appointed to consider possible reductions. A Committee of the Army Council was appointed to consider this question, but was unable to find time for the detailed inquiry necessary. It was compelled to delegate this to an officer specially appointed for the purpose, together with two coadjutors from the War Office Staff. The first officer so appointed was ordered to Palestine shortly after, and the second has been called upon to take up an active command. In addition, changes in the membership of the Army Council, including transfer of the Seals of Secretary of State, and the pressure occasioned by the heavy fighting in France, have made progress difficult. It is hoped to proceed shortly with the investigations, but the matter involves questions of administrative responsibility, and in practice reductions can only be made very sparingly. Paragraph 44. —A small Committee should be appointed, including persons accustomed to the organisation of large bodies of civilian labour, to inquire into existing methods of remuneration of, and of ensuring reasonably good work from, German prisoners of war employed in the United Kingdom and in France. The recommendation is being considered. This question has been referred to the Prisoners of War Employment Committee, which now reports to the Ministry of National Service, and a representative of the Department of the Finance Member, War Office, and an employer of civilian labour on a large scale have been added.
ADMIRALTY Recommendations. Action Taken. Third Report, paragraph 3.— (a) Drawing attention to the un-desirability of the practice of granting overtime pay from a certain hour of the day irrespective of whether the men have worked the full normal day. (a) The payment of overtime irrespective of whether a full normal day has been worked is a long-established practice in the shipbuilding trades, and any attempt to change it would in the opinion of the Board of Admiralty meet with considerable opposition. (b) Recommending an extension of the time-keeping scheme adopted in a number of establishments doing Admiralty work. (b) The time-keeping scheme now in force in certain establishments doing Admiralty work is being gradually extended. Since the beginning of the present year seventy-nine additional establishments have agreed to come within its scope, and there are now 511 firms to which the scheme has been applied. (c) Drawing attention to the cost of Sunday labour and approving of Admiralty action in reducing the amount of such labour as far as possible. (c) The Admiralty are, so far as is consistent with the necessity for urgent repairs and similar work, discouraging the employment of workpeople in shipyards on Sunday, and have recently repeated their instructions to this effect. So far as the Royal dockyards are concerned, Instructions have been in operation since the early days of the War to confine overtime within reasonable limits and to resort to Sunday work only for urgent short-time jobs. Paragraph 4.—Suggesting inquiry as to whether present supplies of Scotch coal are fully used for auxiliary and other vessels on naval service and whether the output from the Scotch mines can be increased. The Admiralty is in full sympathy with the policy of using Scotch or other local coals with a view to economising transport, so far as this is possible without detriment to the Fleet, and will continue to effect such economies wherever possible. Arrangements have been made with the Coal Exports Committee whereby the Admiralty has first call (in preference to export) on all the best Scotch navigation coals. The Controller of Coal Mines has also been asked whether the production of this coal can be increased, and to what extent. 1722W1723W
BOARD OF TRADE Second Report (Session 1917), paragraph 57—Powers of the Board of Trade should be sympathetically used to secure the supply of petrol for the public at a price based on the ascertained costs. Steps have been taken which it is hoped will meet the suggestions of the Committee. Paragraphs 60–62. —Petroleum administration should be concentrated in one organisation. The question of the best means of securing the objects for which the Petroleum Executive was set up has been discussed between that body and the Board of Trade, and the Board is co-operating closely with the Executive. Paragraphs 63–64. —Operations of Timber Control Board. Arrangements for consolidated purchase should be framed in consultation with the Admiralty and Air Ministry. Arrangements have been made with the Admiralty, the Air Ministry, and other Departments concerned, and are now in operation, by which the Timber Supply Department is supplying all timber for direct Government requirements except certain special kinds of timber required by the Admiralty and Air Ministry, and the question of taking over the supply of these is now under consideration. By the Timber Order, 1918, dated 25th April, all transactions relative to timber abroad by persons in this country are prohibited, except with the permission of the Controller of Timber Supplies.
Recommendations. Action Taken. MINISTRY OF SHIPPING. Third Report (Session 1917), paragraph 2—That more men be made available for Transport Workers' Battalions. The establishment has been increased by 5,000 men. In addition, a canal boat battalion has been formed for the purpose of aggregating in one battalion all the men at present employed on canal boat service. EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT. Second Report (Session 1917), paragraph 80.—Principal Financial Officer to report to the Permanent Secretary. On matters relating to finance the Principal Financial Officer now reports direct to the Permanent Secretary. The whole position of the Ministry of Labour, including the finance arrangements of the Ministry, is being considered by a Committee at the present time. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES. Second Report (Session 1917), paragraph 65.— Closer co-operation appears to your Committee to be desirable also in the matter of afforestation, which the Board of Agriculture in England and Wales and the Office of Woods in Great Britain have long had under active observation, and which derives added importance from the operations of the Controller of Timber Supplies. So far nothing in this direction has been done, nor has it been found possible to introduce a replanting clause in the contracts of purchase in consequence of labour shortage. The Board of Agriculture has taken steps, in conjunction with the Timber Supplies Department, to collect data with regard to the growth of timber in areas cut under the directions of the latter, with a view to framing schemes for future afforestation. The Board has also made clearly defined arrangements with the Timber Supplies Department for interchange of information and general co-ordination of action by means of weekly meetings between representatives of the two Departments. The whole question of afforestation has been under consideration by the Board in conjunction with the Ministry of Reconstruction, and a scheme of action has been prepared and is before the Cabinet. Though this includes no proposals for the immediate replanting of cut-over areas, it does suggest arrangements to be made with landowners for the early planting up of areas which have proved suitable for the growth of timber. The Treasury is in communication with the Ministry of Munitions and the Ministry of Pensions with regard to the recommendations contained in the First and