Monday, 23 November 1931
The House met at a Quarter before Three of the Clock, Mr. SPEAKER in the Chair.
The following Member took and subscribed the Oath:
reported His Majesty's Answer to the Address, as followeth:
Kilmarnock Gas Provisional Order Bill,
Address for Return of Copy of Minute by the Secretary of State for India, stating the circumstances under which an officer belonging to his permanent establishment has been retained in the...
1. asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that British subjects are debarred from owning land in the State of Kashmir, although this right is possessed by Kashmiri subjects in...
2. asked the Secretary of State for India the number of municipalities in India which have been superseded for maladministration since 1921, giving figures for India proper and Burma, separately?
3. asked the Secretary of State for India if he will make a statement on the state of affairs in Burma at an early date; if he will say what increase it has been found necessary to make in the...
4. asked the Secretary of State for India whether the persons, or either of them, inquiring into the state of affairs in Kashmir are expected to report on the rival merits of autocracy and...
5. asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can give the strength of the British Army in India in infantry, cavalry, artillery, air force, and other arms?
10. asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will take measures to prohibit the circulation, now continuing, of formal threats of boycotting addressed to non-Indian mills unless their...
11. asked the Secretary of State for India whether he anticipates that it will be possible to make a statement giving the concrete results of the India Round Table Conference before the House...
12. asked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware that passage certificates granted by the Government of India, under the Lee Commission Scheme to and from India, are available by foreign...
13. asked the Secretary of State for India whether there is an improvement in the maintenance of law and order in India, such as will enable the Viceroy to repeal any or all of the Special...
6. (for Major MILNER) asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can give a list of the regis- tered trade unions in India, made up to the latest convenient date, with the numbers in each?
7. (for Major MILNER) asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can give the numbers of men and women employed in and about the mines in India at the last convenient date, giving...
8. (for Major MILNER) asked the Secretary of State for India, whether he can give the numbers of lepers in India at the latest convenient date; whether he can give figures for the past 10 years...
(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for India what action is to be taken to balance the Indian Budget in view of the rejection by the Legislative Assembly of the Emergency Finance Bill?
14. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information about the proposal for the establishment of an independent Provincial Government for Manchuria; and will he state...
Major McLEAN: 15. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will ascertain and state the nominal amount of Chinese Government securities floated on the London market and now in...
16. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange to conclude the work of the Committee on Anglo-Soviet Debts before the end of next June in order that the position...
19. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action His Majesty's Government proposes to take to secure payment from the Soviet Government to Lena Goldfields, Limited, of the...
Lieut.-Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALL: 21. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the number of countries which are in default in the payment of their contributions to...
23. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any claim for compensation from Mr. John Thorburn's relatives has now been received and considered; and what steps he proposes to take...
24. asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement on the negotiations which the British Government have been carrying on with the Chinese Government with a...
27. asked the Minister of Pensions what use will be made of the Highbury Hospital, Birmingham, when it is closed; whether the equipment belongs to the Ministry and, if so, how it will be disposed...
28. asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if the imports of British goods into France, and, if so, which, show any appreciable increase since the abandonment by this country of the...
29. asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, whether it is intended to issue an annual or periodical Report from our commercial counsellor in Russia?
31. asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether any decision has yet been arrived at regarding the discontinuance of further credits to Soviet Russia, in view of the fact that...
32 and 67. asked (1) the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can make a statement on the subject of the protest made to the French Government in connection with their intention...
33. asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the countries with which the British Government has concluded commercial treaties embodying the most-favoured-nation clause?
64. asked the President of the Board of Trade the imports of general earthenware, sanitary ware, glazed wall and hearth tiles, and floor tiles into this country for the month of November, 1931,...
30. asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will assist those hotel organisations which are endeavouring to popularise British holiday resorts as against foreign holiday...
34. asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of prosecutions in each year since 1921 under the Injurious Weeds Order; the number of tenant farmers whose tenancy has been terminated in each...
35. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that no disclosure has to be made to the public if British or Dominion butter is blended with Russian or other foreign butter; and...
36. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can make any statement with regard to the policy of the Government towards the sugar-beet industry?
37. asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has considered the resolution sent to him by the central council of milk recording societies in favour of a tariff on all foreign milk products; and...
38. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in framing the agriculture policy of the Government, he will take special steps to deal with the glasshouse and horticultural industries that have...
41. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any scheme or schemes for draining agricultural land in the Doncaster area have been submitted to his Department during the past few weeks by the...
48. asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that 62,801 cwts. of Russian butter were imported into this country last month as compared with 19,988 cwts. in October last year, an increase...
Major McLEAN: 66. asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of barley imported into this country from 1st September, 1931, to the latest available date, and the corresponding import...
42. asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the grievances of certain Crown tenants at Seaside, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, where land upon which 68 houses have been erected is...
45. asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government will consider the granting of allowances for expenses to His Majesty's judges on a scale comparable with those granted to Ambassadors...
52. asked the Postmaster-General the number of prosecu- tions of Post Office employés during the last 12 months; and whether the number of prosecutions is increasing?
54. asked the Postmaster-General what is the amount of circular matter posted abroad by British firms for delivery by the Post Office in this country; what is the estimated loss suffered by the...
Captain CROOKSHANK: 55. asked the Postmaster-General whether he will reconsider the present form of publishing the London Telephone Directory, in view of the inconvenience caused by the necessity...
56. asked the Postmaster-General when the conversion of the London telephone system to the automatic system will be completed; and what is the present annual rate of progress?
53. asked the Postmaster-General whether he can make a statement as to the present position in relation to the establishment of an overseas broadcasting station?
58. asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will, provided the expense is trivial, experiment with a modified form of flood-lighting, such as was lately used on the exteriors of public...
59. asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that the present office accommodation provided for His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes and staff at Lowestoft is unsatisfactory; and...
60. asked the First Commissioner of Works when the paintings of geese and ducks in St. James's Park, which were removed for restoration by his predecessor in office, will be replaced?
68. asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, seeing that the present Naval Regulations permit of the presence of ladies on ships of His Majesty's Navy, if he will state the general conditions and...
69. (for Mr. THORNE) asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total value of the kits of the 24 naval ratings recently discharged; what portion of the amount was due to the men; and if he will...
71. asked the Solicitor-General whether he can now make any statement as to the reduction of the fees of marshals of judges on circuit?
74. asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the inconvenience caused to the public by the restrictions passed during wartime under the Defence of the Realm Act,...
75. asked the Home Secretary whether it is his intention to set up an inquiry into the whole question of Sunday performances, with a view to arriving at some agreed basis on which permanent and...
61. (for Mr. BUCHANAN) asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who have had their cases reviewed under the Anomalies Act and the total refused benefit at both the Burnley and Glasgow...
73. asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that several of the traders in Kensington Rag Fair have been fined so heavily that they have had to go to prison because they could not...
77. asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to state the policy of the Government in respect of the new land taxes; and, if not, will he suspend the administrative...
80. asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated amount of exemption to wholesale and retail co-operative societies at the present time by relief from Schedule D Income Tax at...
(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary for Mines if he can make any statement on the disaster at the Bentley Colliery, Doncaster?
I wish to ask the Prime Minister whether he can now state the business to be taken on Thursday and Friday of this week? May I also repeat my question whether, in view of the fact that the time is...
(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and the Solicitor-General have promised free and unfettered discussion...
Considered in Committee.
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill."
I beg to move, in page 5, to leave out lines 8 to 12. I hope to adduce sufficient reasons for carrying the Amendment, which stands in my name and the names of hon. Friends behind me, in the...
Order for Second Reading read.
Considered in Committee under Standing Order No. 71A.
Ordered, That a Select Committee be appointed to control the arrangements for the Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms in the department of the Serjeant-at-Arms attending this House.
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Captain Margesson.]
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.