Mr John Cartland: Many Members who have listened to the hon. Member for Dundee (Mr. Foot) will be in agreement with much of what he has said. The hon. Member gave us a quotation from Sydney Smith. Let me give him a quotation from George Canning: Black's not so black; nor white so very white. As I have listened to the speeches of hon. Members of the Opposition I have felt inclined to remind them that not all...
Mr John Cartland: The hon. Lady interrupted me too soon—the remarkable achievements in Russia. Does the hon. Lady now wish to interrupt me?
Mr John Cartland: The hon. Lady naturally has far greater knowledge of Russia than I have. When people look abroad and see the remarkable achievements in foreign countries—in Russia, in Germany, in Italy—they are very much concerned, because in this country they see exactly the same problems and they find no solution to them. I believe those problems are not merely problems for democracy or for a National...
Mr John Cartland: May I ask the Minister whether he has the figures showing the rate at which the cost of living has gone up between 1934 and 1936? That was the point that I was making.
Mr John Cartland: asked the Minister of Labour whether the Special Areas Commissioners have been invited to give their views on the continuation of the Special Areas Act in its present form; and whether they favour any amendments to the Act?
Mr John Cartland: Have the actual district commissioners been asked to give their views with regard to amendments of the Act?
Mr John Cartland: Will my right hon. Friend make this information available before this Act is discussed in the House?
Mr John Cartland: asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider the opening in Birmingham of a branch of His Majesty's Stationery Office.
Mr John Cartland: Is any hon. and gallant Friend aware of the growing demand in the City of Birmingham for a branch of the Stationery Office, and, in view of the importance of this city, will he reconsider it?
Mr John Cartland: asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he can give an estimate of the total stocks of tin at present held in this country? (2) what has been the average monthly consumption of tin in the United Kingdom during this year and how this compares with the average yearly consumption during the period of the Great War?
Mr John Cartland: May I ask when my right hon. Friend will be in a position to make a statement?
Mr John Cartland: I beg to give notice that on Wednesday, 10th February, I shall call attention to the trend of population, and move a Resolution.
Mr John Cartland: Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the airport at Birmingham was entirely unconsidered by the committee, that there is no reference to it in the report at all, and will he, before this scheme is put into operation, consider the whole position?
Mr John Cartland: I do not think the hon. Gentleman was quite fair in levelling such an attack against my right hon. Friend, because I cannot help feeling that, while the Treasury are bound to answer for the administration, they have not very much say in the day-to-day administration. It will be particularly helpful to the Committee to know how close is the co-operation between the Treasury and the directors...
Mr John Cartland: Can the right hon. and gallant Member say anything about the co-operation between the Treasury and the central board?
Mr John Cartland: I beg to move, That this House is of opinion that the tendency of the population to decline may well constitute a danger to the maintenance of the British Empire and to the economic well-being of the nation, and requests His Majesty's Government to institute an inquiry into and report upon the problem and its social and economic consequences and to make recommendations in regard thereto. The...
Mr John Cartland: No one can say, but at least it seems unlikely. I cannot see that the Ministry of Health can do very much more in the way of lowering the death-rate. It has been pretty steady since 1910. We have already increased the expectation of life in this country by 20 years, and a remarkable tribute is certainly due to the work in that connection of the Ministry of Health, but I do not think we could...
Mr John Cartland: How far is this inquiry to go? I know that it is going on at the moment, but is it to be extended, and what are to be the terms of reference of this particular inquiry?
Mr John Cartland: Will it be possible for the gentlemen who are carrying out the investigation to issue an interim report, or, at any rate, can my hon. Friend give an assurance that in the lifetime of this Government we shall have an interim report?
Mr John Cartland: asked the Minister of Labour whether, in connection with the preparation of the Government's proposals for the Special Areas, as outlined in the White Paper, he has been in direct communication with the three District Commissioners for England and Wales as well as with Sir George Gillett?