HC Deb 11 February 1952 vol 495 cc133-5W
Mr. J. Morrison

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why, in Command Paper No. 8433, the only reference to the use of a car and chauffeur for official duties as part of the allowance to a member of a public board is confined to the post of chairman of the British Overseas Airways Corporation; and how many members of such boards do possess this facility.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I regret that I am not yet in a position to reply fully to the hon. Member. I will, with permission, circulate an answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

Mr. J. Morrison

asked the Minister of Transport on what grounds it was decided that the expenses allowance for the British Transport Commission should be granted for the Commission as a whole and not individually to the members.

Mr. Maclay

I assume my hon. Friend refers to the global sum of£4,000 a year authorised for the entertainment expenses of the members of the British Transport Commission and executives. This allocation is available to individual members for entertainment purposes, but in order to control apportionment it was decided that the distribution among the members should be at the discretion of the Chairman of the Commission.

Mr. J. Morrison

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation on what basis the expenses allowance for the chairman of the British Overseas Airways Corporation, and for the chairman of British European Airways was calculated.

Mr. Maclay

As indicated in the footnote on page 3 of Command Paper No. 8433, the allowances to the two chairmen are intended to cover normal entertaining, travelling, subsistence and other expenses in the United Kingdom, incurred by them in their capacity as chairmen.

Mr. J. Morrison

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what grounds it was decided that the expenses allowance for the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board should be granted for the Board as a whole and not individually to the members.

Mr. J. Stuart

The existing arrangement under which a maximum figure in respect of expenses allowance has been fixed for the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board as a whole was made as a matter of administrative convenience and is in line with the arrangements made for the other electricity boards.

Mr. J. Morrison

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what grounds it was decided that the expenses allowance for the British Electrical Authority and for the area boards should be granted for the Authority and for each board as a whole, and not individually to the members.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

I understand that when the British Electricity Authority and area boards were set up it was considered a matter of administrative convenience for the Minister, with the approval of the Treasury, to fix for the Authority and each board as a whole the maximum amounts within which members' claims for expenses, apart from travelling, could be met.