COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. (Hansard, 30 April 1931)

§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCE

I am appending the information desired, and in the circumstances the hon. and learned Member will, presumably, not think it necessary to proceed with his Motion for a Return.

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LIST OF ROYAL COMMISSIONS, OTHER COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES THE APPOINTMENT OT WHICH HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED SINCE 1ST JUNE, 1929.
This List does not include Statutory or Standing Bodies, Sub-Committees, nor Departmental Committees composed exclusively of Officials.
Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
Royal Commissions.
Licensing (England and Wales).	To inquire into the working of the laws relating to the sale and supply of intoxicating liquors, etc.	30th Sept., 1929.	Home Office	(a)^*
Licensing (Scotland)	To investigate the whole field of legislation relating to the sale and supply of exciseable liquor in Scotland.	28th Oct., 1929.	Scottish Office.	(a)
Civil Service	To inquire into and report on	28th Oct., 1929.	Treasury	(a)
	(a) The structure and organisation of the Civil Service.
	(b) Conditions of service in the Civil Service.
	(c) Conditions of retirement from the Civil Service.
Labour in India	To inquire into and report on the existing conditions of labour in industrial undertakiugs and plantations in British India.	6th July, 1930.	India Office	(a)
Unemployment Insurance.	To inquire into the provisions and working of the Unemployment Insurance Scheme.	9th Dec., 1930.	Ministry of Labour.	(a)
Malta	To visit Malta and consider the existing political situation in the Island.	23rd Feb., 1931.	Colonial Office.	(a)
Other Commissions and Committees.
Coal Gas Poisoning	To consider the increase during recent years in the number of deaths ascribed to poisoning by coal gas supplied for domestic purposes.	27th June, 1929.	Board of Trade.	22nd Jan., 1930: £60.
Small Actions	To consider the provisions substituted by Section 20 of the Administration of Justice Act, 1925, for proviso (ii) Sub-section (1) of Section 11 of the County Courts Act, 1919, etc.	12th July. 1929.	Lord Chancellor's Department.	(a)
Procedure and Evidence for the Determination of Claims for Unemployment Insurance Benefit.	To consider and report upon the constitution and procedure of statutory authorities performing the functions of Insurance Officers and Courts of Referees under the Unemployment Insurance Acts.	25th July, 1929.	Ministry of Labour.	16th Oct., 1929: £810.
Furunculosis	To investigate the origin, predisposing causes and mode of dissemination of furunculosis and similar infectious diseases among salmon, trout and other fresh water fish.	31st July, 1929.	Fishery Board (Scotland).	Interim Report dated 31st March, 1930: £610.
^* (a) Signifies that Report has not yet been received. The figures of expenditure exclude receipts from sale of copies of Reports.

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Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
Steel Structures Research.	(1) To review present methods and regulations for the design of steel structures, including bridges.	July, 1929.	Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research.	(a)
	(2) To investigate the application of modern theory of structures to the design of steel structures including bridges.
Administration of Cosham Hospital.	To inquire into the administration of the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, and to report thereon,	1st Aug., 1929.	Ministry of Pensions.	27th Nov., 1929: £100.
Revision of Medical Scales, I and II, for Merchant Ships.	To advise with regard to the revision of scales I and II of medicines and medical stores and instruments for Merchant Ships.	27th Aug., 1929.	Board of Trade.	8th Aug., 1930: £200.
Main Line Railway Electrification.	To examine the economic and other aspects of the electrification of the railway systems in Great Britain.	2nd Sept., 1929.	Ministry of Transport.	24th Mar., 1931: £5,450.
West Indian Sugar Commission.	(a) The causes of depression	12th Sept., 1929.	Colonial Office.	1st Feb., 1930: £3,892^*
	(b) The measures required in order to place the industry in the best possible position for the future.
	(c) Any measures which may be desirable for the temporary assistance of the industry, etc.
	(d) The advisability and feasibility of replacing sugar by alternative crops in any particular areas.
Palestine Disturbances Commission.	To inquire into the immediate causes which led to the outbreak in Palestine in August, 1929.	13th Sept, 1929.	Colonial Office.	12th Mar., 1930: £4,700.
Relief of the Casual Poor.	To inquire into the administration of the laws relating to the relief of the casual poor.	26th Sept., 1929.	Ministry of Health.	18th June, 1930: £340.
National Parks	To consider and report if it is desirable and feasible to establish one or more National Parks in Great Britain with a view to the preservation of natural characteristics, etc.	26th Sept., 1929.	Ministry of Agriculture.	(a)
Agricultural Co-operation in Scotland.	To inquire into the present position of Agricultural Co-operation in Scotland.	10th Oct., 1929.	Scottish Office.	3rd Apr., 1930: £310.
Street Accident Investigation.	To consider and report on the best and most practical means of carrying out a detailed investigation of the causes of street accidents occurring over a limited period in the London Traffic Area.	24th Oct., 1929.	Ministry of Transport.	(a)
^* The bulk of the expenditure on the West Indian Sugar Commission (namely, £3,572) was borne proportionately by the Colonial Governments concerned.

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Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
Chancel Repairs	To consider the Consistory Court case of the Hauxton Parochial Church Council against Stevens and to report whether the remedy now provided in such cases is appropriate in modern conditions.	24th Oct., 1929.	Lord Chancellor's Department.	24th Apr., 1930: £7.
Legislative and Judicial Powers of Departments.	To consider the powers exercised by or under the direction of (or by persons or bodies appointed specially by) Ministers of the Crown by way of (a) delegated legislation and (b) judicial or quasi-judicial decision.	30th Oct., 1929.	Lord Chancellor's Department.	(a)
Banking, Finance and Credit.	To inquire into banking, finance and credit, paying regard to the factors both internal and international which govern their operation.	5th Nov., 1929.	Treasury	(a)
Provision of Colonies for Mental Defectives.	To consider and report what are the essential structural requirements of a complete colony for mental defectives of all types.	17th Jan., 1930.	Ministry of Health.	(a)
Deep Diving Equipment.	(1) To recommend (in detail) what equipment is necessary to enable useful work to be carried out by divers at depths of at least 50 fathoms.	17th Jan., 1930.	Admiralty	(a)
	(2) To recommend improvements in the organisation of the Diving Service in the Navy, etc.
Local Education Authorities' Committee on Maintenance Allowances.	To recommend a procedure for the award of Maintenance Allowances in respect of children between the ages of 14 and 15 years.	Jan., 1930	Board of Education.	May, 1930: £12.
Registration of Accountants.	To consider and report whether it is desirable to restrict the practice of the profession of accountancy to persons whose names would be inscribed in a register established by law.	7th Feb., 1930.	Board of Trade.	31st July, 1930: £590.
Disposal of Surplus Government Properties.	To examine the present allocation of Government properties with a view to the liberation for full economic development of any properties which may not be required for Government purposes.	13th Feb., 1930.	Treasury.	5th Feb., 1931: £25.
Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Se[...].	To consider the existing Board of Trade Memorandum on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Sea, and to advise the Board of Trade what alterations, if any, are desirable.	14tb Feb., 1930.	Board of Trade.	(a)
British Industries Fair.	To examine the present situation as regards the British Industries Fair and to consider what means can be adopted to increase still farther its utility to British trade, etc.	17th Feb., 1930.	Department of Overseas Trade.	13th Nov., 1930: £245

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Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
Be assessment of Grants to Institutions of Higher Agricultural Education.	To consider and report what grants should be made to such institutions for the five years beginning 1st October, 1930.	6th Mar., 1930.	Ministry of Agriculture.	Interim Report dated July, 1930: £70.
Restraint of Trade	To consider present trade practices which result in withholding from particular retail traders supplies of goods in which they wish to deal or which prevent the resale of such supplies except upon conditions imposed by the suppliers.	21st Mar., 1930.	Board of Trade.	(a)
National Mark Beef Scheme.	To review progress made by the English and Scottish schemes for grading and marking beef.	8th Apr., 1930.	Ministry of Agriculture.	Aug., 1930: £190.
Port Labour	To inquire into employment and unemployment in the port transport service in Great Britain.	29th May, 1930.	Ministry of Labour.	2nd April, 1931: £650.
Agricultural Machinery Advisory Committee.	To advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries on the development of the use of machinery in Agriculture.	2nd June, 1930.	Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.	—
Hire Purchase in Scotland.	To inquire into and report on the existing law relating to contracts of hire purchase in Scotland.	20th June, 1930.	Scottish Office.	(a)
British Postgraduate Hospital and Medical School Provisional Organisation.	To consider and report upon (1) the action requisite to lead up to the planning and construction of the Medical School, and (2) the form of government appropriate to the Hospital and Medical School.	1st July, 1930.	Ministry of Health.	30th Mar., 1931: £40.
Anglo-Soviet Debts and Claims (British Section.	In conjunction with an equal number of Russian experts to assist the Plenipotentiaries of the two Governments in negotiations for the settlement of claims and counter-claims, inter-governmental and private, etc.	14th July, 1930.	Foreign Office.	(a)
Economic Mission to South Africa.	To inquire into the present condition of Trade between the United Kingdom and the Union of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia.	6th Aug., 1930.	Board of Trade.	(a)
Mental Treatment Act, 1930: Medical Committee.	To consider and advise what principle should be observed in the approval by the Board of Control of medical practitioners for the purpose of Sections 1 (3) and 5 (3) of the Act.	13th Aug., 1930.	Ministry of Health.	15th Oct., 1930: £10.

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Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
Folk Museum in London.	To consider the recommendations of the Royal Commission on National Museums and Galleries that a National Folk Museum should be established, if possible, in London.	Aug., 1930.	Office of Works.	(a)
Local Government Officers.	To inquire into and make recommendations on the qualifications, recruitment, training and promotion of Local Govern-Officers.	15th Sept., 1930.	Ministry of Health.	(a)
Obsolete Tonnage	To consider the economic factors involved in the disposal of old ships and their replacement by new.	22nd Sept., 1930.	Board of Trade.	(a)
Agricultural Tied Cottages.	To inquire into the conditions of occupation of agricultural cottages in England and Wales which are either let to or provided for agricultural workers in consequence of their employment.	25th Oct., 1930.	Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Ministry of Health.	(a)
Rent Restriction Acts	To inquire into and report upon the present working of the Rent Restriction Acts (excluding the special provisions relating to agricultural cottages).	28th Oct., 1930.	Ministry of Health.	(a)
System of entry of Commissioned Officers in the Royal Navy.	To consider whether the present systems of entry of Naval Cadets and Naval Cadets (E) are such as to give candidates of the requisite standard from all types of schools and belonging to all classes of the community a fair opportunity of being considered on their merits for entry as cadets.	31st Oct., 1930.	Admiralty	(a)
National Mark Cider Trade.	To advise the National Mark Committee as to consideration of applications to adopt Grading and Marking.	20th Nov., 1930.	Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.	—
Central Executive Committee on Allotment Gardens for the Unemployed.	To promote the cultivation of allotment gardens by unemployed persons and to stimulate the formation of committees or societies for the furtherance of that object, etc.	27th Nov., 1930.	Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.	—
Certificates of Airworthiness.	To inquire into the present difficulties experienced by British aircraft constructors in connection with the certification of aircraft for airworthiness as affecting such constructor's commercial interests.	28th Nov., 1930.	Air Ministry	(a)
Position of Schools not in receipt of grants from public funds.	To survey the present position of the Board of Education and the Local Education Authorities in relation to schools not in receipt of grants from public funds.	8th Dec., 1930.	Board of Education.	(a)

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Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
Local Government and Public Health Law Consolidation.	To consider under what heads the enactments applying to England and Wales (exclusive of London) and dealing with	8th Dec, 1930.	Ministry of Health.	(a)
	(a) local authorities and local government, and
	(b) matters relating to the public health, should be grouped in consolidating legislation, etc.
Conditions of employment of women staff in Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.	To examine and report on the conditions of service of women staff employed by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.	11th Dec, 1930.	Ministry of Labour.	9th Jan., 1931: £65.
Advisory Nutrition Committee.	To advise the Minister of Health on the practical application of modern advances in the knowledge of nutrition.	6th Jan., 1931.	Ministry of Health.	—
Coastguard Service	To inquire into the efficiency and adequacy of the present organisation for carrying out the coast-watching duties of the Coastguard Service.	9th Jan., 1931.	Board of Trade.	(a)
Regional Town Planning.	To consider the reports issued by Regional Planning Committees and to recommend—	16th Jan., 1931.	Ministry of Health.	(a)
	(a) what scheme of work can be put in band with due regard to the return to the community from the expenditure incurred, etc.
	(b) what measures should be taken in order to secure that the works shall be speedily carried out, etc.
Palestine Administration Commission.	(1) to examine and report on the revenue, expenditure and general organisation of the Palestine Administration.	1st Feb., 1931.	Colonial Office.	(a)
	(2) to examine from the point of view of [...]fficiency and economy the need for the gra[...]nt-in-aid of the administration of Trans-Jordan.
Gas Legislation	To consider the recommendations contained in the Second Report of the National Fuel and Power Committee, and to report what amendments to existing gas legislation are desirable and necessary.	18th Feb., 1931.	Board of Trade.	(a)
Empire Marketing Board. (Constitution.)	To consider and report as to the action desirable in relation to the Resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1930, on the subject of the re-constitution of the Empire Marketing Board.	18th Feb., 1931.	Dominions Office.	(a)

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Name of Commission or Committee.	Abridged Terms of Reference.	Date of Appointment.	Department primarily concerned.	Date of Report and approximate expenditure.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
National Expenditure	To make recommendations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for effecting forthwith all possible reductions in the National Expenditure on Supply Services, having regard especially to the present and prospective position of the Revenue.	17th Mar., 1931.	Treasury	(a)
Industrial Assurance	To examine and report on the law and practice relating to Industrial Assurance and to assurance on the lives of children under ten years of age.	13th Apr., 1931.	Treasury	(a)
Prevention of Damage by Thames Floods.	To consider the present organisation for the prevention of damage by floods in the tidal portion of the Thames.	17th Apr., 1931.	Ministries of Health and Agriculture and Fisheries.	(a)
Habitual Offenders	To inquire into the existing methods of dealing with persistent offenders.	23rd Apr., 1931.	Home Office	(a)