§ Mr. REMERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) how many Royal Commissions have been set up during the lifetime of the present Government, the total cost to the Treasury of those commissions, and the amount of subsistence allowances and travelling expenses paid to each member serving on them:
(2) how many departmental committees, statutory committees, and advisory committees have been functioning under the Home Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Board of Trade, and Ministry of Labour, respectively, since the present Government came into office; the amount of salary, if any, paid to any member of the committees; the total cost to the Treasury of these committees and the amount of subsistence allowance and travelling expenses paid to each member serving on them?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEFour Royal Commissions have been set up during the lifetime of the present Govern- 693W ment. The cost of one—the Royal Commission on Labour in India—is borne by Indian Revenues. The cost of the remaining three (namely, the Commissions on Licensing (England and Wales), Licensing (Scotland) and the Civil Service) is borne upon the Treasury Vote for Royal Commissions, etc., and the expenditure to date is approximately 13,000, of which approximately £2,700 represents payments for the travelling and subsistence expenses of members and witnesses. It would not be possible to distinguish between the expenses of members and witnesses without a special analysis of the claims. No member of a Royal Commission, as such, is in receipt of a salary. With regard to the remainder of the hon. Member's questions, the cost of departmental committees is, in general, borne upon the Votes of the Departments concerned. The tabulation and collection of the information desired would involve a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour, and I would suggest that if the hon. Member has any particular committee in mind he should address an inquiry to the Department concerned.