asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now consider an expansion of the Colonial Office Labour Advisory Committee in view of the fact that larger committees dealing with other subjects have been set up; and whether he will state the present composition of the Committee?

I do not consider an enlargement of the Committee is necessary at the present time. As was stated on 23rd April, 1942, in reply to a Question on this subject by the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Creech Jones), the Committee has power to co-opt members whenever the advice of persons with special knowledge on a particular question is required. The Chairman of the Committee is the Parliamentary Undersecretary, and its membership is the same as that given in reply to the Question to which I have referred.

Could the Minister say how many members there are on the Committee and how often the Committee meets?

There are five non-Colonial Office members. I cannot say exactly how often the Committee meets, but it meets regularly.