Former MP for Faversham
On a point of Order. Is it in Order for the right hon. Member for South-West Bethnal Green (Sir P. Harris) to call another hon. Member a rat?
Having regard to the fact that the observation was heard by many hon. Members, may I ask whether it is not the case that one of the Rules of Debate in this House is that there should be no imputation of motives?
I do not often intervene in a Debate about coal, because I have some financial interest in the industry. I want to make that perfectly clear and that I have not intervened in the past because one has always felt that, however sincere one's intentions, there may be at the back of the minds of hon. Members some thought that there is some ulterior motive which is not in accordance with the...
May I finish what I am trying to say? My hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Mr. D. Grenfell) knows that what I am saying is not exaggerated, as he knows of the particular district to which I am referring.
I did not say that. The hon. Member for Hemsworth stated that he was sorry the Minister of Food was not present because he wanted to talk to him. In my own opinion the Minister of Food has done a good job of work, and has been very considerate to the mining community.
If the hon. Member wants to talk to me privately I shall be very glad to repeat and explain what I said in his absence. Another thing happened, connected with the interpretation being put upon the Reid Committee Report. The hon. Member for Hemsworth, again in a jocular way, made a statement which might be considered very unfair, taken literally. He said that Members of the Committee were all...
Yes. There may be others, but I can name one, Mr. Crofts, the managing director of Chatterley-Whitfield Collieries. They have an output of something like 400,000 or 500,000 tons per annum, it may be more, and, as I happen to know, are not at all interested in the kind of thing which the hon. Member suggests they want to do. The Minister, this House and the country owe a very great debt of...
asked the Prime Minister whether representations made on behalf of the W.L.A. for recognition on demobilisation have been considered; and if he can make a statement on the matter.
