Oral Answers to Questions — Employment – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 28 January 1947.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
12:00,
28 January 1947
asked the Minister of Labour how many meetings of the National Joint Advisory Council have been held to the latest available date; on how many occasions the Lord President of the Council, Mr. Chancellor of the exchequer, the President of the Board of Trade and he, himself, have attended; and what was the average attendance of the 34 representatives of the B.E.F. and of the T.U.C., respectively.
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
The National Joint Advisory Council was reconstituted at a special meeting on 15th July last, and has since held four meetings, all under my chairmanship. The Lord President of the Council has attended two meetings, and the Chancellor of the exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade were each present on one occasion. These meetings were fully representative of the two sides of the council, and I do not feel called upon to give information as to the numbers present.
Sir Waldron Smithers
, Orpington
Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that we can only get increased production at more competitive prices by the good will of all concerned, and would he ask the Joint Advisory Council to conduct an educational campaign among all workers in order to combat Communist interest?
Mr George Isaacs
, Southwark North
It is true that we can only recover our economic position by the good will of all concerned. This council is very helpful, and is undertaking a campaign to make the position clear. I think that their good will will be retained if not so many bricks arethrown at them.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
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