§ Mr. MIDDLETONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why no representative of the wage-earning classes has been appointed to the Committee to be presided over by Sir Alan Garrett Anderson; and whether the Government will provide the House with an opportunity of debating the terms of reference to, and the composition of, the Committee before it is asked to commence its duties?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe members of this Committee were selected on the ground of their special fitness for the work, and in no sense as representatives of any particular interest; the appointment of members to serve on such a Committee in a representative capacity would, in my judgment, have been open to the strongest objection. With regard to the second part of the question, I have already made a full announcement to the House, and the Committee is already set up.
§ Mr. WILLEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the Lytton Report expressed the opinion of a number of members of the Committee to the effect that appointments of ex-service men and women might be made to the writing-assistant class, such appointments have in effect been made; and whether, seeing that the writing assistant class is therefore legitimately meriting inclusion in the scope of the inquiry of the new Committee, he proposes to ensure that this is done?
§ Mr. BALDWINNo appointments of ex-service men have been made to the writing-assistant class. I am unable to say how many of the women appointed to this class are ex-service. With regard to the later part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on the 17th April to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Hogge).