House of Commons debates

Tuesday, 7 May 1940

  • Preamble

    The House met at a quarter before Three of the Clock, Mr. Speaker in the Chair.

  • Private Business.

  • Oral Answers to Questions — War Department Factories (Welfare Work).

    4 speeches

    asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the arrangements made generally for welfare work in factories engaged on War Office work; what persons or organisations are in charge of...

  • Oral Answers to Questions — British Army.

    • Auxiliary Territorial Service.

      24 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War how long the Countess of Brecknock, Lady Elizabeth Pleydell-Bouverie, the honourable Mrs. Muriel Hornsby and Lady Carolyn Howard, respectively, has served in...

    • Conscientious Objectors (Officers).

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War what decision has now been reached with regard to officers who have conscientious objections to combatant service continuing to hold commissions?

      Near East Forces (Visits of Wives of Personnel).

      6 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the basis on which permits are granted to the wives of serving officers and men to visit their husbands in the Near East?

      Dependants' Allowances.

      12 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War how many instances there are, in which two sons in a family who are members of the armed Forces are both making an allotment to their parents, and the...

      Patrol Dogs.

      5 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he can give an assurance that all necessary steps are being taken to provide our troops on all fronts with a sufficient number of patrol dogs;...

      Palestine Forces.

      4 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that soldiers serving in Palestine who spend their leave in Jerusalem are very disappointed to find that they are excluded from hotels and...

      Saving Schemes.

      4 speeches

      Miss Rathbone: asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the undesirability of a too sharp contrast between the spending power of British and French soldiers and also between that...

      Pioneer Corps.

      5 speeches

      Miss Rathbone: asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the need for a large increase in the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps, he has considered requiring the registration under...

      Pay.

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that many soldiers, when convalescing in France, receive only 25 francs weekly and so are unable to attend concerts, etc.; and whether he...

      North-Western Expeditionary Force.

      12 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of German radio propaganda, he will assure the House that the tinned food supplied to the British troops in Norway is of the highest possible...

      Soldier's Death (Signalman Kerr).

      6 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War the circumstances associated with the death, on Friday, 12th April, 1940, of Signalman Kerr, of the 15th Scottish Division, Royal Corps of Signals, stationed...

      Officers (War Substantive Rank).

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to state the result of the consideration which has been given to the recommendation made by the appropriate section of general...

      Canvas Camps.

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make arrangements, as was done during the last war, for increasing the number of troops under canvas during the summer months, with a view to...

      Soldiers' Leave.

      8 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War the conditions under which a member of the British Expeditionary Force can have leave in case of a family bereavement?

      Special Campaign Pensions.

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether soldiers who served with Militia battalions throughout the South African war and in the Regular Army during the Great War are eligible for special...

      Golfer Riflemen.

      4 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War whether the national campaign to train golfers to handle rifles to deal with Germans landing by parachute has been inaugurated with his consent?

      German Invasion of Denmark.

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for War at what hour the news first reached the War Office of the German invasion of Denmark; and at what hour the information was communicated to the Chief of the...

      Scotland.

      Housing.

      4 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can now state the number of houses completed in Scotland from 1st January, 1940, to the last available date; how many houses are still under...

      Day Nurseries, Glasgow.

      5 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that over 100 working mothers in Glasgow have made representations to the authorities for facilities for their children in day...

      Coal Industry.

      Oil Extraction.

      6 speeches

      asked the Secretary for Mines whether the committee on the question of extracting oil from coal has yet reported; and, if not, what steps he is taking to expedite the report, in view of the...

      Production Council.

      15 speeches

      asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has now considered the report from the Coal Production Council with their recommendations as to the steps to be taken to increase the production of coal,...

      Coal Reserves.

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is consulting with local authorities for the storage of coal reserves; and whether he has any further statement to make on the matter?

      Trade and Commerce.

      Great Britain and Eire.

      4 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is in a position now to state the result of the trade talks between England and Eire; and whether he proposes to give financial...

      Exports (Foreign Payments).

      2 speeches

      asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Export Council will arrange for its groups to sell in certain foreign countries against irrevocable bank credits, or by barter methods, so as...

      Private Companies' Accounts (Publication).

      4 speeches

      asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to amend Section 26 of the Companies Act, 1929, so that companies such as the Bankers Industrial Development Company, whose...

      Export Credits.

      2 speeches

      asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what insurance will be obtainable by British firms from the Export Credit Scheme to cover part of the risk that emerged after the great war of...

      Government-Owned Commodities (Insurance).

      7 speeches

      asked the President of the Board of Trade for what reasons it has been decided to insure all stocks of material held by the Government against fire, contrary to previous policy?

      Allied War Effort (Co-Operation).

      6 speeches

      asked the Prime Minister to what extent there exists at the present time, in connection with the allied war effort, a joint Anglo-French secretariat; and whether it is proposed to extend this as...

      Engineering Industry (Women Workers).

      3 speeches

      asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the failure of the engineering unions, after prolonged discussion, to reach an agreement about dilution by women workers and about terms of their...

      Secret Session.

      8 speeches

      asked the Prime Minister when an opportunity for Debate in secret Session will be arranged?

      Agriculture (War Measures).

      5 speeches

      Mr. De la Bère: asked the Prime Minister whether he will find time for the Motion standing in the name of the hon. Member for Evesham relating to Agriculture (War Measures): [That this...

      Ministers of the Crown (Military Service).

      3 speeches

      asked the Prime Minister how many Ministers who are fit and eligible for military service and who are under 40 years of age are retained in the Government?

      National Finance.

      Income Tax Personal Allowance (Refunds).

      2 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will, when rearranging the working of the Income Tax law, include a Clause in the Finance Bill to abolish the right to claim refund of personal...

      Co-Operative Factories (Taxation of Profits).

      3 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that the profits made by the co-operative factories which are making boots, textiles and other goods for the Government are...

      Monetary Policy.

      2 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, when preparing our post-war monetary policy, he will examine the reasons for the Council of the United States Federal Reserve Board declaring on...

      Treasury Bills.

      4 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average rate of interest, and the total amount paid by way of interest, in respect of Treasury bills issued since 1st September, 1939, and the...

      Limitation of Dividends (Bonus Shares).

      6 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in determining the permitted rate of dividend during the war, companies will be allowed to take into account the fact that bonus shares were issued...

      Cosmetics, Bicycles and Restaurant Meals (Taxation).

      5 speeches

      Mr. Duncan: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will state the figures which were supplied to him on which he based his decision that it was not worth while from the revenue...

      Local Authorities (Repayment of Debts).

      2 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that some municipal borrowers are now unable to repay earlier debt or to convert it at lower rates of interest owing to their...

      Postage Rates (Overseas Forces).

      2 speeches

      asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the possibility of arranging that men in the forces and their near relatives should be supplied periodically with a limited number...

      Paper Economy.

      4 speeches

      asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will issue an order to all Government Departments to conduct correspondence on both sides of the paper and to make use of incoming...

      Armed Forces (Travel Facilities).

      4 speeches

      asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the incidence of increased taxation and travelling costs to men in the Forces, he will consider issuing to them more free...

      Film "gone with the Wind."

      4 speeches

      asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer Company, in addition to charging 70 per cent. of the takings from cinemas exhibiting "Gone with the...

      Allies and Danish Shipping.

      6 speeches

      asked the Minister of Shipping what steps he is taking to ensure that the freight money paid to Danish owners of shipping now in the hands of the Allies will not benefit Germany?

      Switzerland (Imports from the Argentine).

      4 speeches

      asked the Minister of Economic Warfare whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the exports of Argentine food and raw materials to Switzerland increased by 2,500per cent. from...

      Afforestation.

      2 speeches

      asked the right hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether, in view of the increased destruction of trees for military and other purposes, he is...

      Aircraft Production (Welfare Work).

      4 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state the arrangements made generally for welfare work in the Air Ministry factories; what persons or organisations are in charge of it;...

      Civil Defence Technical Experts.

      3 speeches

      asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to keep the technical experts of the air-raid precautions and Auxiliary Fire Service au fait with the actual...

      Communist Propaganda.

      12 speeches

      asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Communist party has large funds placed at its disposal from abroad, as to which no accounts are published, which are used for subversive...

      Motoring Offences (Penalties).

      4 speeches

      asked the Home Secretary whether he will issue a circular to magistrates pointing out the undesirability of imposing a heavy fine for motoring offences with 28 days to pay and a promise of part...

      Port of Liverpool (Black-Out Accidents).

      2 speeches

      asked the Home Secretary the number of inquests held on drowned seamen in the port of Liverpool, namely, both sides of the Mersey, since the beginning of the war; and what steps are being taken...

      Education (French Culture and Language).

      4 speeches

      asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the circular which has just been issued by M. Sarraut, the French Minister of Education, to French...

      Standing Orders.

      Resolutions reported from the Select Committee:

      National Expenditure.

      Third Report from the Select Committee brought up, and read; Report to lie upon the Table, and to be printed. [No. 120.]

      Wey Valley Water Bill.

      Reported, with Amendments from the Committee on Group B of Private Bills (with Report on the Bill).

  • Orders of the Day — Supply.

  • Orders of the Day — 6th ALLOTTED DAY.

    Considered in Committee.

  • Orders of the Day — House of Commons.

    Motion made, and Question proposed. That a sum, not exceeding £319,655, be granted to His Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment...

  • Orders of the Day — Conduct of the War.

    120 speeches

    Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Captain Margesson.]

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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