House of Commons debates

Monday, 15 April 1929

  • Preamble

    The House—after the Adjournment on 27th March 1929, for the Easter Recess—met at a Quarter before Three of the Clock, Mr. SPEAKER in the Chair.

  • Private Business.

    Llanelly Corporation Bill.

  • Oral Answers to Questions — India.

    • Employment Underground (Women).

      8 speeches

      1. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India, if he will give the latest figures showing the total number of women employed underground in coal, salt, and other mines in India; whether the...

    • Detenus.

      6 speeches

      2. asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is now in a position to state the intentions of the Government of India in regard to the persons at present under detention without trial...

      Mosul Oilfields.

      8 speeches

      3. asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can report any progress in the development of the oilfields in Mosul; and whether any progress has been made with the project for the...

      Gibraltar (Leaflet Suppressed).

      3 speeches

      4. asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies who gave directions to the Colonial Secretary and the chief of police at Gibraltar to confiscate and suppress the newspaper, Hojas Libres?

      Trade and Commerce.

      Empire Marketing Board.

      7 speeches

      5. asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what was the total amount of expenditure defrayed by the Empire Marketing Board in staging an exhibit at the last Canadian exhibition?

      Statistics.

      2 speeches

      14. asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the balance of trade in manufactures between this country and foreign countries in 1927 and 1928, respectively, excluding re-exports; what...

      Artificial Silk Industry.

      6 speeches

      21. asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Inland Revenue officers engaged in artificial silk factories; if it is part of the duties of these officers to decide on questions...

      Small Holdings.

      4 speeches

      6. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any statistics to show the existence of an unsatisfied demand for small holdings; and, if so, what steps are being taken by the responsible...

      Government Departments (Fuel).

      2 speeches

      7. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he will state the approximate quantity of fuel consumed annually in the office...

      Royal Parks (Sticklebacks).

      4 speeches

      8. asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he will consider stocking the waters in the Royal Parks with small fry in order...

      Radium Supplies.

      5 speeches

      9. asked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take on the Report of the Sub-Committee of the Committee of Civil Research on radium and radium supplies; and whether any steps are in...

      China (Situation).

      2 speeches

      11. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement as to the state of affairs in China; whether the Japanese Government has now released the rolling stock...

      Schooner, "i'm Alone" (Sinking).

      7 speeches

      12. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received the Report from the British Ambassador at Washington of the sinking of the British vessel, "I'm Alone," by an American...

      Mercantile Marine.

      Loss of Steamship "vestris."

      2 speeches

      13. asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to inform the House when the Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the s.s. "Vestris" will be held; and what will...

      Coloured Seamen (White Women).

      9 speeches

      17. asked the Home Secretary whether he has now decided to take action as a result of the facts revealed some months ago in the report of the Chief Constable of Cardiff regarding the association...

      Steamship "tuscania" (Smallpox, Cases).

      7 speeches

      asked the Minister of Health the numbers respectively of the crew of the s.s. "Tuscania" on her recent voyage from Bombay to Liverpool and of the passengers landed; whether all the passengers and...

      Royal Air Force (Howden Shed).

      2 speeches

      15. asked the Secretary of State for Air whether it is intended that the shed, etc., at Howden being used for the construction of one of the subsidised airships will be used in future as a civil...

      Air Raid Bombs.

      2 speeches

      16. asked the Home Secretary whether he has any information of any bombs being discovered in the Metropolitan police area during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date that are believed...

      Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

      10 speeches

      19. asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the names of the present two Government nominees on the board of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company?

      Unemployment Insurance Fund.

      4 speeches

      22. asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount loaned to the Unemployment Insurance Fund, with the amount owing by that fund at the end of March, 1929?

      Transport (Railway Bridges, London).

      2 speeches

      23. asked the Minister of Transport the number of railway bridges in the London traffic area in need of reconstruction to meet presentday traffic conditions?

      Broadcasting (General Election).

      8 speeches

      24. asked the Prime Minister whether, by consultation between the political parties, any arrangements have been made for the use of the broadcasting service during the General Election by...

      House of Lords.

      5 speeches

      25. asked the Prime Minister whether he can now make a statement in regard to the policy of the Government for the reform of the House of Lords?

  • Business of the House,

    Ordered, That the Proceedings of the Committee of Ways and Means be exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House).—[The Prime Minister.]

  • Financial Statement (1929–30).

    Copy ordered, of Statement of Revenue and Expenditure as laid before the House by Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer when opening the Budget."—[Mr. Arthur Michael Samuel.]

  • Comparison of Expenditure, 1924 to 1929.

    Copy ordered, of Statement of Expenditure on Consolidated Fund Services and Net Expenditure on Supply Services (excluding Post Office) for the years 1924 to 1929, inclusive, adjusted in respect...

  • Orders of the Day — Ways and Means.

    Considered in Committee.

  • Orders of the Day — Financial Statement.

    1 speech

    The financial year which has just closed resembles its predecessor in various ways. Again, the failure of beer was repaired by the harvest of death. Again, substantial supplementary charges were...

  • Orders of the Day — Review of Past Five Years.

    It is usual, in opening the Budget, to compare the current year with the last, but on this occasion, in presenting a fifth Budget, at the close of a Parliament, I feel entitled to look back over...

  • Orders of the Day — Economy.

    I am afraid that after these spacious figures, running into hundreds of millions, the Committee will be ill-inclined to follow with much interest the modest savings we have been able to effect in...

  • Orders of the Day — Gold Standakd and Cost of Living.

    2 speeches

    I will now, if the Committee will allow me, come to the question of the gold standard and the cost of living. Everyone knows, or pretends to know, the arguments for and against the gold standard....

  • Orders of the Day — National Debt.

    I now come, having dealt with economy and the cost of living, to the Debt operations of the present Parliament. [An HON. MEMBER: "What about wages?"] Money wages are equal to those of 1924, taken...

  • Orders of the Day — Surplus, 1928–9.

    I come to the surplus of 1928. It would seem almost that I ought to apologise to both the Oppositions for the size of that realised surplus. They seem to show almost as little enthusiasm—it...

  • Orders of the Day — Forecast for 1929.

    2 speeches

    I come now to the expenditure for 1929. I estimate the Consolidated Fund Services as follow: £ Debt interest and Management 304,600,000 Payment to Local Taxation Account 15,000,000...

  • Orders of the Day — Review of Revenue.

    At this point, I shall indulge myself once more in brief retrospect. Let the Committee remember the formidable subtractions from the revenue I have had to face. The remissions of revenue made by...

  • Orders of the Day — New Import Duties.

    2 speeches

    Of the group of new import duties, which together yield a revenue of £13,000,000, it is certainly true to say that they are far less burdensome to industry and to trade than the income tax...

  • Orders of the Day — Betting Duty

    However, there is one of the new taxes for which I am responsible which has been a failure, which, indeed, has been a fiasco, and which obviously has caused more trouble than it is worth. I mean,...

  • Orders of the Day — Liquor Licence Duties.

    I now pass to a more amiable concession. For many years it has been contended that the Liquor Licence Duties which were imposed in 1910 stand at too high a level in view of the curtailment of the...

  • Orders of the Day — Harbour Dues.

    Perhaps I had better dispose at this point of some other modest matters. I have made a provision of about £30,000 a year for reducing Harbour dues in certain cases where they press unduly...

  • Orders of the Day — Rural Telephones.

    Last, but not least, it is proposed to afford to the public, especially in rural districts, certain improved telephone facilities. At present there is an extra charge of £1 a year for each...

  • Orders of the Day — Disposal of Surplus.

    What shall we do with it? Let us, first of all, by way of preliminary digression, address ourselves to the burning question of whether national prosperity can be restored or enhanced by the...

  • Orders of the Day — Road Fund Grants.

    2 speeches

    I have another announcement to make about the expenditure in connection with roads. During the Debates on the Local Government Bill, I declared a further increase in the percentage grants for the...

  • Orders of the Day — Railway Passengek Duty.

    I am glad to be in a position to make one modest, but immediate, contribution to a policy of the modernisation of our industries. There is no doubt that the railways have much more to give to the...

  • Orders of the Day — De-Rating.

    After all, however, the best and surest help we can carry to productive industry, and, through productive industry, to employment, is by a reduction of the burdens which enter directly into the...

  • Orders of the Day — Agricultural Producers (Rating Relief).

    We have been repeatedly pressed to bring the reliefs into operation at the earliest possible date. We have already hastened the freight relief upon selected traffics. Instead of the...

  • Orders of the Day — Direct Taxation.

    6 speeches

    After allowing for all the minor concessions or remissions, we are still left with a prospective surplus of £10,246,000, out of which I think the taxpayer is entitled to some further relief....

  • Orders of the Day — Tea Duty (Abolition).

    I have never had much fiscal sympathy with the consumer, of luxuries, and particularly of foreign luxuries. It is to the primary comforts and to some extent virtual necessities of the mass of the...

  • Orders of the Day — Balance of Budget.

    I can now balance the Budget of 1929 with an expenditure under all heads, including the rating relief, the Sinking Fund, and the self-balancing accounts, of £822,584,000 and with a revenue...

  • Orders of the Day — Procedure.

    2 speeches

    I will now explain an important departure in procedure upon which we have resolved. It arises naturally and inevitably from the circumstances in which we stand. Everyone wishes to proceed as soon...

  • Orders of the Day — General Summary.

    In this very lengthy statement, during which the House has shown me such exceptional consideration and indulgence, I have thought it right to lay forth fully the financial situation, but I have...

  • Orders of the Day — Charge of Income Tax.

    2 speeches

    Motion made, and Question proposed,

  • Orders of the Day — Repeal of Duty on Bets.

    Resolved, That the Excise Duty payable on bets made with a bookmaker shall cease to be chargeable as from the sixteenth day of April, nineteen hundred and twentynine."—[Mr. Churchill.]

  • Orders of the Day — Repeal of Railway Passenger Duty.

    Resolved, That the Railway Passenger Duty shall cease to be chargeable as from the first day of April, nineteen hundred and twentynine."—[Mr. Chwchill.]

  • Orders of the Day — Continuation of Duties Charged by Section 7 of Finance Act, 1925, on Hops, Preparations of Hops and Beer.

    7 speeches

    Motion made, and Question proposed, That— (a) The duties of Customs charged by Section seven of the Finance Act, 192S, for a period of four years beginning on the sixteenth day of August,...

  • Orders of the Day — Abolition of the Customs Duty on Tea.

    Motion made, and Question proposed, That the Customs Duty chargeable on tea until the first day of August, nineteen hundred and twenty-nine, shall cease to be chargeable as from the twenty-second...

  • Orders of the Day — Turpentine.

    5 speeches

    Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Commander Eyres Monsell.]

What is this?

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.

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