§ Mr. FREEMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the approximate average number of persons engaged on forced labour in each colony of the British Empire; and, if not, will he take steps to obtain such information?
§ Dr. SHIELSAct 22 of the Draft Convention Concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour, which was adopted at the recent session of the International Labour Conference, provides that members of the International Labour Office which ratify the Convention shall furnish annual reports containing "as full information as possible, in respect of each territory concerned, regarding the extent to which recourse has been had to forced or compulsory labour in that territory." I am afraid that, until the necessary administrative arrangements have been made to give effect to the Convention in the various Dependencies, it would not be possible to obtain the desired information.