§ Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture whether the workers' representatives on the Suffolk District Wages Committee were assured that the appointed members were to be impartial members; and, if so, will he explain why the appointed members included persons employing workers who come under the regulations of the Agricultural Wages Board, seeing that they are regarded by the workers as additional employers' representatives in excess of the number of workers' representatives?
Sir A. BOSCAWENUnder the provisions of the First Schedule to the Corn Production Act, 1917, the Minister is empowered to appoint such persons as he thinks fit to act as appointed members of 917W District Wages Committees. In view of the desirability of appointing persons who have a knowledge of agricultural conditions, it would be impossible to restrict the selection to those who employ no workers coming within the definition laid down in the Corn Production Act. All appointed members, when invited to serve, were informed that they would be expected to act impartially, and the Minister has no reason to believe that they do not so act.