Former MP for Birmingham, Perry Barr
I have been trying desperately to catch your eye, Mr. Mallalieu. I wish to speak briefly about the slaughtering——
Yes. Schedule I relates to the licensing of Shochetim, and the regulations for securing humane conditions of slaughtering are dealt with in Clause 38. I want merely to ask my right hon. and learned Friend to look into the Shochetim killing of both animals and poultry with a view to seeing whether in future legislation he can come back to the House with more humane methods of slaughtering——
Is my hon. Friend aware that many of the most needy families are separated wives with young children to look after and that they are not protected? Will he consult the Home Secretary to see whether dependants can get away from the lengthy process of having to go back to the courts to obtain increases in child maintenance allowances?
Does my hon. Friend agree that it is rather coincidental that, since we have had Socialist-controlled local authorities, we have had such deplorable rates of building?
Is my hon. Friend aware that the figures given by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Gurden) are not "phoney" but are taken from the Labour council's own statistics? Will my hon. Friend do all he can to ensure that rent rebates are brought to the attention of people now on a three-day week who will find the Government's services extremely useful at the present time?
Is the right hon. Gentleman suggesting, in the light of all these effects, that we should give in to what amounts to blackmail, on top of the 16½ per cent. already offered?
Would not what the Opposition suggest mean to some degree putting up prices to the consumer again?
I should like to add my congratulations to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. David Stoddart) who has indeed chosen an important subject for us to debate today. I shall follow his arguments, but he will not be surprised if I come to a different conclusion from that to which he came. My hon. Friends and I put down what we thought was a reasoned amendment which would replace the myth of the...
