Tuesday, 14 March 1939
The House met at a Quarter before Three of the Clock, Mr. SPEAKER in the Chair.
The VICE-CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSE-HOLD (Mr. GRIMSTON) reported His Majesty's Answer to the Addresses, as followeth:
For the County of Aberdeen and Kincardine (Kincardine and Western Division), in the room of Sir Charles Malcolm Barclay-Harvey (Manor of Northstead). —[Captain Margesson.]
Private Bills (Standing Orders not previously inquired into complied with),
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of old age pensioners in the county of Linlithgow; how many of these were given public assistance during 1938; and the cost of this assistance?
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the city of Edinburgh has accepted the offer made on 20th February last by the National Trust for the preservation of Tailors' Hall buildings,...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps it is proposed to take to determine the financial responsibility of the Town Clerk of Dalbeattie to his council in respect of defalcations by...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether inquiries have now been made in the Island of Rum regarding billeting arrangements for children and mothers to be evacuated from the vulnerable...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent delay would have been caused in making avail able for housing an acre of land in Castle bay, Barra, by contesting the demand by the owner...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) why he is delaying consideration of the report of the Scottish Development Council on Scotland's industrial future; (2) what steps he is taking to...
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has con- sidered the findings of the jury recorded at Linlithgow Sheriff Court on 28th February upon the circumstances attending the death,...
Mr. J. J. Davidson: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of Government contracts placed with the iron and steel industry of Scotland for the years 1936, 1937 and 1938, respectively?
Mr. J. J. Davidson: asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of insurance and assurance companies now operating in Scotland?
Mr. W. Joseph Stewart: asked the Secretary for Mines the total output of oil from coal in this country from low temperature carbonisation and by hydrogenation, respectively, during the years...
asked the Secretary for Mines the reasons for the reduction of 30 per cent. in our exports of anthracite coal to France in 1938 as compared with the previous year; and what steps are being taken...
asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the progress made in the Anglo-German negotiations for an agreement on the export of coal?
Mr. Jenkins: asked the Secretary for Mines the age at which boys are allowed to begin work in the Dutch coal mines?
Mr. Jenkins: asked the Secretary for Mines the rate of fatal accidents per 1,000 men employed or per 100,000 shifts worked, in the Dutch coal mines for the years 1937 and 1938?
Mr. David Adams: asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware of the existence among mine workers in the Durham coalfield of many cases of asthma, alleged to be due to the reek from...
asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to the side warrick control method of stopping runaway trucks, as described in page 424 of the Transactions of the Institute of...
asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has considered the adequacy of dry lime-stone and sand- stemming plugs as described in the Trans actions of the Institution of Mining Engineers, volume...
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the report of the Commission on the natural resources of Southern Rhodesia has yet been published; and whether he will make it available...
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the number of natives in Southern Rhodesia who have been convicted under pass laws during the years 1936 and 1937?
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to what extent the Dominions have concurred in the action of the British Government, as set out in the letter to the Secretary-General of the...
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs particulars of the arrangement made by the South African Government for the purposes of extending the subsidy to the Italian Line steamships?
asked the President of the Board of Trade the present duties of the 18 Divisional Food Officers to whom annual retaining fees amounting to a total of 1,600 guineas per annum are being paid; and...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that in the last War it was often difficult for the lowly-paid workers to obtain food; and whether his plans for rationing food in an...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether additional storage has been constructed, under the powers given by the Essential Commodities Act, for the purpose of taking the food supplies...
Mr. De la Bère: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the policy of the Government is to replace the existing wheat security reserves by some of the wheat now arriving in the...
asked the President of the Board of Trade approximately how the volume of industrial production in 1938 compared with that in 1931?
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the imports of machinery in 1938 amounted to 124,278 tons as compared with 93,145 tons in 1931;...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the large amount of foreign-made hosiery merchandise imported into this country during the last six months; and whether he can...
Miss Ward: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the difficulty of obtaining a detailed analysis of the rise in the cost of ship building, and the necessity for the...
asked the President of the Board of Trade the reasons for the decline in our exports of steel and galvanised sheets and tin plates from 820,000 tons in 1937 to 530,000 tons in 1938; and what...
Mr. Johnston: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make any decision or statement upon the proposals submitted to him in the summer of last year for the...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that tin whistles used in Christmas crackers are coming in from Japan at 1s. 8½d. per gross; and is he prepared to prohibit the...
asked the President of the Board of Trade particulars of the number of cinema exhibitors and/or renters who, during the previous three" years, have failed to comply with the quota provisions of...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any estimate of the amount of trade debts owing to Great Britain by Spain; and what arrangements are being made for their liquidation?
Mr. Adamson: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that bulbs from Holland may be imported into Eire free of duty and that cut flowers from these bulbs may then be...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that dirty conditions are frequently found in forecastles in which the lighting is deficient, and especially in those lit by oil...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the large number of defects in crews' accommodation which arise through lack of care and sanitary supervision; and whether any...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that during a gale last Wednesday, the Crosby lightship, which guides shipping into the Mersey, broke...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to state whether a decision has been reached with regard to the desirability of permitting British mercantile marine...
asked the Prime Minister whether he is now in a position to state when the report of the Royal Commission on the Distribution of the Population will be published?
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he hopes to introduce the Bill to deal with war risk insurance, having regard to the decline in the building industry, which is largely attributed to...
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now state when the Government propose to introduce the Bill to amend the law relating to building societies?
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the year ending 31st March, 1938, which shows the number of...
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the large sums now being spent by various Departments on Press advertising; and whether he will consider setting up a special body of...
Miss Ward: asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the emergency demands made on certain Government Departments, he can give an assurance, on behalf of the Departments,...
Mr. Davidson: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can assure the House that Income Tax will not be increased this year; and whether His Majesty's Government intend to extend the...
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Chinese Dollar Stabilisation Fund is to operate in similar manner to the Exchange Equalisation Fund; and whether any consultations are to take...
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the source of income of the 10 additional millionaires whose income, as stated in the report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for...
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that quantities of sand are frequently removed for building purposes from beaches and foreshores and that this adversely affects...
asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the considerable opposition to the proposed gunnery school in Pembrokeshire, he will consider its removal and establishment elsewhere?
asked the Secretary of State for War whether any regulations are in existence prohibiting the enlistment in India, for service in the British Army, of Anglo-Indians of good physique and...
asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that certain Territorial regiments in London have been selected in parade before the President of the French Republic on 22nd...
asked the Secretary of State for War what number of men applied to enlist in the Army in the county of Essex for the last 12 months or the latest available date; what percentage were rejected...
asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the recent elimination of certain area pension offices, he will consider reducing from eight hours to six hours the time away from home...
asked the Prime Minister whether the official communication sent out by the Foreign Office on 26th September, 1938, with reference to co-operation between Great Britain, France, and Russia,...
asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the apprehension existing concerning the imminent possibility of further alterations of the frontiers of Czecho-Slovakia; and what action he is...
asked the Minister of Health the number of persons in receipt of old age and widow's pensions, respectively, in the city of Liverpool, who seek public assistance in order to augment their pension...
asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the limestone dust method of controlling spoil heap fires, as described in the Transactions of the Institution of Mining...
(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether the Government would arrange that the new White Paper which will contain various British statements on the Balfour Declaration shall also...
May I ask the Prime Minister what business it is proposed to take arising out of the proposed suspension of the Eleven O'clock Rule?
That they have passed a Bill, intituled, An Act to amend Section six of the Official Secrets Act, 1920." [Official Secrets Bill [Lords.]
[2ND ALLOTTED DAY.]
1. "That a number of Land Forces, not exceeding 185,700, all ranks, be maintained for the Service of the United Kingdom at Home and abroad, exclusive of India and Burma, during the year ending on...
2. "That a sum, not exceeding £11,943,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of the Pay, etc., of the Army, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the...
3. "That a sum, not exceeding £14,022,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray he Expense of the Army Reserve (to a number not exceeding 144,000, all ranks), Supplementary Reserve (to a...
4. "That a sum, not exceeding £5,540,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Works, Buildings and Lands, including military and civilian staff and other charges in...
5. "That a sum, not exceeding £2,432 , be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Miscellaneous Effective Services, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on...
6. "That a sum, not exceeding £3,745,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Rewards, Half-Pay, Retired Pay, Widows' Pensions and other Non-Effective Charges for Officers,...
7. "That a sum, not exceeding £4,833,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea; of Out-Pensions, Rewards for Distinguished Service, Widows'...
8. "That a sum, not exceeding £288,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Civil Superannuation and other Non-Effective Annual Allowances, Additional Allowances and...
Army (Royal Ordnance Factoroes).
10. "That an additional number of Land Forces, not exceeding 58,000, all ranks, be maintained for the Service of the United Kingdom at home and abroad, exclusive of India and Burma, during the...
11. "That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £100, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1939,...
12. "That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £100, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the charge (reduced by a sum, not exceeding £141,960, to be transferred from the Supplies...
1. "That a number of Air Forces, not exceeding 118,000, all ranks, be maintained for the Service of the United Kingdom at Home and abroad, excluding those on the Indian Establishment, during the...
2. "That a sum, not exceeding £14,670,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of the Pay, etc., of the Royal Air Force, which will come in course of payment during the year...
3. "That a sum, not exceeding £4,250,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Works, Buildings and Lands, in eluding Civilian Staff and other Charges connected therewith,...
4. "That a sum, not exceeding £16,870,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Technical and Warlike Stores, including Research and Development Services, which will come in...
5. "That a sum, not exceeding £4,787,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of Civil Aviation, which will come in course of payment during the year ending; on the 31st day of...
6."That an additional number of Air Forces, not exceeding 6,000 all ranks, be maintained for the Service of the United Kingdom at Home and abroad, excluding those on the Indian establishment,...
7. "That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £100, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1939,...
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.
