Monday, 16 April 1923
The House met at a Quarter before Three of the Clock, Mr. Speakerin the Chair.
Bootle Corporation Bill [Lords],
" to confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Minister of Health relating to Altrincham, Ashton-under Lyne, Brighouse, Ealing, Hale, Uckfield, and Wath-upon-Dearne," presented by Mr. Neville...
" to confirm a Provisional Order under the Sea Fisheries Act, 1868, and Acts amending the same, relating to an oyster and mussel fishery in the estuary of the River Thames," presented by Sir...
" to regulate the expenditure on capital account and lending of money by the London County Council during the financial period from the first day of April, one thousand nine hundred and...
1. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any decision has been arrived at on the proposal of Lord Inchcape's Committee to abolish the appointment of Public Health Commissioner in India?
2. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the murder in the Purnea district of Mr. Sydney M. Smith, an English planter of over 60 years, by a gang...
3. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that many thousand Gorman sword-bayonets, adapted for use as wood or betel-nut splitters, have been recently imported into...
4. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what information he has about the reported outbreak of plague in India; what is its extent and nature and what steps are being taken to deal with it?
8. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to a meeting between the Finance Minister of India and certain Bombay merchants in which the Finance Minister...
Mr. HOPE SIMPSON: 10. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in connection with the religious riot between Hindus and Mussulmans that took place at Amritsar on the 9th instant, he...
(by Private Notice) asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can state the facts regarding the murder of Mrs. Ellis at Kohat, and whether he has any reassuring news to communicate...
11. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Colonial Office has received from Colonial officials any information upon the existence of slavery in Abyssinia; whether...
12. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with the harnessing of water power for producing electrical energy from the River Jordan and are contracts for...
13. asked the, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how the Palestine Loan will be floated on the same basis as other Colonial loans; and is the credit of the Palestine Government sufficient...
16. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give any information as to when the British troops will be withdrawn from Palestine?
14. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that David Hartery, Tottenham, was disbanded from the Royal Irish Constabulary in February, 1922; that in August last,...
17. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what arrangements have been come to regarding the return of arms taken by Government authority from civilians in Ireland; and to whom...
19. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether ho has received a Report from the Irish Claims Compensation Association with reference to the provisions of the Damage to Property...
15. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether representations have been received from any non-official body in Kenya against the proposed removal of the Voi Taveta Railway; and...
18. asked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any communication from representatives of any of the Colonies, and, if so, which, expressing views unfavourable to...
20. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether proposals have been submitted through the Governor of Nyasaland for the adoption of some scheme of military conscription in the...
22. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Indian inhabitants of the Federated Malay States comprise 23 per cent. of the population, but are...
25. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements His Majesty's Government propose to make for the protection of British trawlers fishing off the Murmansk coast during...
32. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will inform the House as to the action which has been taken by the British Government, in view of the affront to Great Britain...
34. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information as to the arrest of the Metropolitan Benjamin, of Petrograd, in November last; if there is any report of his...
58. asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been drawn to the protest against the ruthless warfare upon all forms of religious belief carried on by the Soviet Government which has been...
27. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, owing to the shortage of labour in France, foreign workmen are still being invited to that country from all parts of Europe; whether...
28. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will inform the House of the terms of the representations made by the United States Government with regard to the export of...
30. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the French authorities have established an office in Cologne for the purpose of collecting French Customs duties; whether these...
39. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the increased activities of the French military authorities in the Ruhr area who are committing...
Captain BENN: 52. asked the Prime Minister whether he has indicated to the French Government the policy of His Majesty's Government towards the proposal for the declaration of a Rhineland republic?
84. asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the three licensing offices now in existence in the occupied area (Franco-Belgian, Ruhr and German) are all working against one...
36. asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can inform the House of the present state of affairs in Memel; and whether the unrest and disturbances have arisen as a...
40 and 41. asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department (1) if he will arrange for the Oversea Settlement Committee to get into direct communication with boards of guardians...
42. asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can give a list of the places where his Department have been in the past but fire no longer represented; how much this...
87. asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the quantity and value of decolourising carbon imported into this country during the years 1920, 1921, and 1922, with the amount and value...
Captain BENN: 45. asked the Prime Minister whether he can make any statement as to the Government's policy for the extension of Imperial preference?
46. asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the economic importance of the Crown Colonies, he will consider inviting the leaders of the elected members of the legislative councils, and/or...
47. asked the Prime Minister whether the place and date for the resumed Peace Conference with Turkey has been decided upon; if so, what are they; who will be the British representatives at the...
48. asked the Prime Minister whether the Chester concessions in Asia Minor have as yet been the subject of discussion between His Majesty's Government and the French Government; and whether we...
48. asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the Convention of Royal Burghs has again urged the creation of a Secretaryship of State for Scotland, and that many public j bodies...
91 asked the Undersecretary to the Scottish Board of Health if he is aware that burghal members of county councils in Scotland are not allowed to vote on any question which entails expenditure by...
92. asked the Undersecretary to the Scottish Board of Health if he is aware that certain education authorities in Scotland have had difficulty in obtaining a water supply for certain of their...
93. asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health why the Scottish Education Department, in pursuance of the policy laid down in Circular 44, are proposing to limit ox1 abolish the...
51. asked the Prime Minister whether he can give any information to the House as to the progress which is being made by the Committee of Imperial Defence on the problems now before them, more...
53. asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the general approval given to the War Pensions Acts (Amendment) Bill by the central organisation and branches of the British Legion and other...
54. asked the Prime Minister whether the members of the Egyptian delegation, arrested and deported without trial, together with Zaghloul Pasha, are still in the Seychelles; and whether His...
55 asked the Prime Minister whether he can state when the text of the Rent Restrictions Bill will be circulated and the date of its Second Reading?
57. asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the fact that His Majesty's Stationery Office has just been publishing statistics for 1920, and that instances of delay of...
61. asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether it is contemplated, or has been decided, to hand over the exhibition buildings at Rio to the Brazilian Government;...
63 and 64. asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Oversea Trade Department (1) whether his Department maintain any sample, showrooms other than those in the City of London; if so, in what towns...
67. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any reparations have been paid by Germany in the form of potash for agricultural purposes; if any such reparation payments have been made to this...
68. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any experiments have been carried out to ascertain the value to the British farmer of any of the phosphatic manures derived from the deposits on...
70. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether there is an office known as the controller of horticulture at the Board of Agriculture held by a Mr. Lobjoit; if so, what are his exact duties;...
The Marquess of TITCHFIELD: 72. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether lie is aware that of the 221 Canadian store cattle landed at Glasgow a, short time ago a large proportion arc reported to...
73. asked the Minister of Agriculture the total number of acres under cultivation for the production of barley during 1913 and every successive year down to and including 1922?
74. asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give an approximate figure showing the total amount of relief to local rates which would result from the reduction in the assessment of...
79. asked the Minister of Agriculture what are the rates of agricultural wages now in force in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, respectively?
80. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the nitrate producers' ring decided, at a meeting held in London on 27th March, to increase the price of nitrate, one of the farmers...
81. asked the First Commissioner of Works whether the Committee of Inquiry has reported upon the proposal of adaptation of the Imperial Institute for purposes of a war museum: and, if not,...
82. asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he can arrange to have the electric lighting of Westminster Hall so placed as to enable visitors to appreciate the beauty of the unique oak roof?
Captain MARTIN: 88. asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the great increase of all branches of Post Office work at Southend-on-Sea consequent on the growth of that town; that the...
89. asked the Postmaster-General if the attention of his Department has been called to the protests by the Ridgmont parish council and residents in the Woburn district of Bedfordshire to the...
95. asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of his desire to afford to Members the fullest possible information as to the practice with regard to pensions, he will arrange for the...
96. asked the -Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the reduction in the number of war pension committees, he can see his way to authorise all members of such committees, it,Lead of the...
108. asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that Henry W. Tipperton joined the Navy for a period of 12 years on 10th September, 1917; that he was invalided from the Navy on 4th...
99. asked the Minister of Health if he has seen a resolution passed at a conference of local authorities, held at Cardiff on 24th March last, protesting against the proposed grants towards new...
101. asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to a -Resolution passed at the last meeting of the urban district councils of Aberavon and Mountain Ash, expressing the...
100. asked the Minister of Health what is the daily death roll from tuberculosis?
109. asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that teachers retiring at. a pensionable age, or under pressure of ill-health retiring when very near to the pensionable...
103. asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in any legislation which may be introduced affecting workmen's compensation, he proposes to recommend the inclusion of provisions safeguarding the...
104. asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has been made aware of the statement made on behalf of the iron and steel trade in Sheffield and Rotherham that the works cannot take orders owing to...
105. asked the Secretary for Mines the result of the Inquiry held in 1921 by the mines inspectors as to the numbers of hours worked by ponies and horses underground?
(by Private Notice) asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Measures recently passed into law for the taxation of trade and places of business in Tanganyika also require...
(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the elected Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji, as a protest against the action of the Secretary of State for the...
May I put two questions to the Home Secretary? First of all, what Vote does he propose to put down on Thursday; and does he propose to take any other business other than the Budget Resolutions...
I have to submit to you, Mr. Speaker, a constitutional question, and to ask whether the matter I am about to bring before you constitutes a breach of the privileges of the House. As you are...
" to provide for the regulation of movable dwellings," presented by Sir COURTENAY WARNER; supported by Major Wheler, Brigadier-General Cockerill, and Sir Henry Buckingham; to be read a Second...
Considered in Committee.
To frame a Budget has at no time been deemed a light task, but in recent years, in the present year, and in years immediately to come, it has been, it is, and it will be a task which has...
The financial year through which we have just passed was a year in which got steadily better as it proceeded. Trade, both home and foreign, improved, unemployment, though still grievous,...
I need only comment on the salient points in the results of 1922–23, and I will take revenue first. The Budget Estimate for Customs and Excise was £273,000,000. This represented a...
As I have said, the total revenue for 1922–23 was surprisingly near the Estimate. The surplus arises from the best of all possible causes, a reduction in expenditure, which was...
This brings me to the position of the Debt. The Dead-Weight Debt on the 31st March, 1922, was £7,676,000,000. The corresponding figure on the 31st of last month, as nearly as I can estimate...
I come now to the financial year 1923–24. The Supply Estimates are known to hon. Members, and there will be other opportunities of debating them. I will make but one comment, namely, that...
What revenue have we to meet this expenditure? Although there are many signs that the industrial depresson is lifting, it is doubtful whether yet there has been any appreciable rise in the...
Before coining to my main proposals, I turn for a moment to certain other matters, on which I contemplate introducing legislation. For a long time past the question of Income Tax evasion has been...
Hon. Members will have observed that the surplus in 1923–24 of £36,000,000 on the existing basis of taxation arises mostly on Special Account, where Receipts of £40,000,000 show...
With this consideration in mind, I have felt it my duty to examine the innumerable suggestions for new taxes which every Chancellor of the Exchequer receives, in order to see if any fresh source...
I can now address myself to the disposal of the estimated surplus for the current year. Last year some considerable reductions were made in postal charges. I think all Members of the Committee...
On the telephone side, we propose a reduction of 10s. in the annual rental of ordinary telephone installations and reductions in the annual charge for extension instruments, to extend the free...
I will deal now with the duties of Customs and Excise. In considering to which dutiable articles it would be proper to grant relief this year, I have borne in mind that my right hon. Friend who...
I have, therefore, turned my attention to those commodities which arc mainly produced in this country and the prices of which arc not dependent to anything like the same extent upon foreign...
I next come to the Table Water Duty. This duty is levied at the rate of 8d. a gallon on unsweetened and 4d. a gallon on sweetened waters. The, intention was to make a rough distinction between...
Every one of our great direct taxes has demands upon my attention, and it has been a matter of difficulty to decide between the competing claims. But in the end I have come to the conclusion that...
I have felt it right to give preference to the Income Tax payer, who has borne, and for many years will continue to bear, the burden and heat of the day. At the same time I feel that I must make...
All these reductions will cost together £34,150,000 in the current year, and next year about £47,250,000. The final balance sheet for 1923–24 will thus be: £ Revenue...
Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Customs duty charged on tea until the first day of August, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, shall he charged as from that date until the first day...
Resolved,
Resolved,
Resolved, That as from the first day of May, nineteen hundred and twenty-three, the excise duty now chargeable on certain table waters at the rate of fourpence per gallon shall be charged at the...
Resolved,
Resolved,
Resolved,
Resolved,
Resolved, That— (a) Income Tax chargeable in respect of any emoluments, pension or annuity payable by or through any public Department in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, but otherwise...
Resolved, That where property situate out of Great Britain is bequeathed to or settled on different persons in succession and legacy duty or succession duty is payable thereon, such duty shall...
Motion made, and Question proposed. That it is expedient to amend the law relating to the National Debt, Customs and Inland Revenue (including Excise), and to make further provision in...
Read a Second time, and committed to a Standing Committee.
Debates in the House of Commons are an opportunity for MPs from all parties to scrutinise government legislation and raise important local, national or topical issues.
And sometimes to shout at each other.
