§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Power whether he will make a statement on the appointments he has recently made of members to the committee to arrange the transfer of the steel industry to national ownership, their qualifications and the salaries and expenses to be paid to each person.
§ Mr. MarshOn 30th September I appointed the following members of the Organising Committee:—
Right Hon. Lord Melchett (Chairman), Managing Director of Hill, Samuel & Co. Ltd.Mr. N. C. Macdiarmid (Deputy Chairman), Chairman and Managing Director of Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd.Dr. H. M. Finniston, Managing Director, International Research Development Co. Ltd.Mr. S. A. R. Gray, General Manager, John Summers & Sons Ltd.Sir Cyril Musgrave, K.C.B., Chairman of the Iron and Steel Board.Mr. Peter Parker, M.V.O., Director of Booker Bros., McConnell & Co. Ltd.Mr. Ron Smith, General Secretary, Union of Post Office Workers.I have since appointed Mr. R. P. Brookes (Chairman, Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds Ltd.) to be a part-time member. Further appointments will be made in due course; but I am satisfied that with the appointments already made the Committee will form a well-balanced team combining experience and knowledge of the steel industry with the new 151W outlook and ideas which the industry needs.
Only the Chairman, who has been seconded from Messrs. Hill, Samuel & Co. Ltd., is at present on a full-time basis and, as has been reported in the Press, he is being paid a salary of £16,000 a year. Sir Cyril Musgrave and Mr. Ron Smith are each receiving £1,000 a year in respect of their part-time appointments to the Committee, the salary which is normally paid to part-time members of national boards. The other part-time members are serving without remuneration.
Members will be allowed expenses incurred directly on the business of the Committee.
Funds are being provided for the Organising Committee from the Civil Contingencies Fund. I will, in due course, ask the National Steel Corporation to repay the money expended by the Committee.