Mr Charles Challen: Is the Minister in a position to provide the necessary staff to the Catering Wages Commission so that they can undertake this inquiry?
Mr Charles Challen: I rise merely to echo some remarks made by my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) and also I think by one or two other speakers on the subject of the work done not only by Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve whom many of us know and admire and value his work, but by the staff of the Boundary Commission. I do not propose to enter into the lists in relation to the general argument...
Mr Charles Challen: asked the Minister of Transport whether he can give an assurance that steps will now be taken to produce a fully co-ordinated road and rail plan for London so that when the economic situation permits such money as is available may be divided over each category in order to ensure the best overall arrangements.
Mr Charles Challen: I desire to voice a certain number of arguments with regard to this Bill, though I do not propose to take up very much time. The points I wish to make relate to three different types of Clauses. The first of these is Clause 86, which deals with the sterilisation of meat for feeding animals. and this Clause, as well as other Clauses on which I desire to comment, really involves the point that...
Mr Charles Challen: I shall stop in a moment, but I want to finish my speech. What does this Bill propose to do? It proposes to take away from this independent, very impartial and capable body these matters, and hand them over to the Treasury. It proposes to do so in these words: 'the Treasury may after consultation with the Commission or the county borough or district council in whose area the property in...
Mr Charles Challen: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer with whom the Commissioners of Customs and Excise consult in drawing up lists of medicines and drugs to be exempted from Purchase Tax.
Mr Charles Challen: asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the fact that Belgian importers give a written guarantee that horses exported from this country to Belgium are exported for work and not for slaughter, he will investigate the circumstances in which horses disembarked from the s.s. "Aire" at Antwerp on 15th February, 1949, were taken to the Antwerp abattoir and were slaughtered in...
Mr Charles Challen: Will the right hon. Gentleman consider, if as the result of his inquiries he finds the facts to be true, whether some penalty should be attached to this breach of guarantee, to prevent this kind of thing from happening?
Mr Charles Challen: Does that mean that the Clause will be withdrawn?
Mr Charles Challen: It may seem very small to be standing here in a comparatively empty House of Commons talking about dustbins and difference between half a crown and 5s. chargeable by local authorities in respect of dustbins, but there is a very important constitutional point involved. We are being asked to enable the Minister, by order, to alter an Act of Parliament, instead of introducing an amending Bill...
Mr Charles Challen: asked the Minister of Works what provision for the parking of motor cars has been made in connection with the Government buildings which are in the course of erection between Whitehall and the Embankment.
Mr Charles Challen: asked the Minister of Food why any rationing scheme is applied to rice, having regard to the fact that the quantity now available is nearly equal to the amount available in 1938 when no rationing was necessary.
Mr Charles Challen: The more one analyses this order, the more it becomes obvious that it is a complicated order and that there are many points of view from which one can approach it. I should like to ask the Minister how the order came to be made and with whom the Minister discussed the matter; because if he discussed it with the Committee of the Association of Importers, I would point out that this consists...
Mr Charles Challen: I took some part in the proceedings while I was on the Committee on this Bill upstairs and I have nothing whatever to say against the principle of the Bill. But on the particular question of having this census now, may I make, first, a point on the principle, and secondly, a point on the facts? A week ago the Minister of Labour, in answering a Question put by my hon. and gallant Friend the...
Mr Charles Challen: I do not want to get out of Order, but I am trying to point out that the employment of personnel in Government Departments and industry to answer these ridiculous questions at this particular time is out of Order. I go over the page and find: Question 86. Wigs and similar manufactures of hair—for theatrical purposes,for legal purposes. That is what our manufacturers and business men have to...
Mr Charles Challen: asked the Minister of Food what requests he has made to the Chairman of the Kitchen Committee concerning the observance of the Meals in Establishments Orders; and when were these made.
Mr Charles Challen: Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that during the last Parliament the Minister of Food recognised he could not give orders to the Kitchen Committee, and the matter was put on the basis of a request?
Mr Charles Challen: I beg to move, in page 12, line 22, at end, to insert: (d) if the receptacle is used for carrying inflammable liquids and is not permanently attached to the vehicle provided that such vehicle is from time to time used without such receptacle in the ordinary course of business. The object of this Amendment is to bring into line the practice of the distribution of petrol by motor lorries...
Mr Charles Challen: I do not want to speak on quite the same point as my hon. Friend, but on the Amendment which follows on line 30. I do not know whether I would be in Order in making observations now. I am rather puzzled as to just when I should break in.
Mr Charles Challen: I want to make a few observations on the various Amendments which follow from line 30 on page 41 to line 28 on page 42. We on this side of the House are very glad to see these Amendments introduced now, coming, though they do from another place. In earlier stages we introduced Amendments which would have served the same purpose as these Amendments which have been accepted by the Government....
