Mr Frank Collindridge: Why did not hon. Members opposite do it before?
Mr Frank Collindridge: I have been asked to reply. The quality of leather has improved since the war ended, and endeavours are being made to improve it further, but we are not yet able to import the proportion of better class hides we should like.
Mr Frank Collindridge: Mr. F. Sidney Cotton has represented the purchasers of the assets of Grantham Productions, Limited, for whom the allocation of the factories is to continue. It is not intended to continue production of motor cars at these factories.
Mr Frank Collindridge: I feel sure that the hon. Member will appreciate the difficulty I am in at the present time. I will make his representations known to the Minister concerned.
Mr Frank Collindridge: My hon. Friend can rest assured that the attention of my right hon. Friend will be drawn to the point he has mentioned.
Mr Frank Collindridge: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the volume of opinion in the country to the effect that equal danger shared by all ranks should warrant equal grants?
Mr Frank Collindridge: I rather object to the Minister putting the point that we are all involved in this question, and that it has been accepted through the usual channels. Let us be candid about the matter. From the beginning of this Bill many of us on this side of the House complained about the taking away of certain allowances. I want to put in a word or two on behalf of the worker in industry who is injured. I...
Mr Frank Collindridge: It occurs to me that the proceedings during Question Time will quite likely have more interest for the country in the Press tomorrow than this Debate to-night, if these empty benches are any indication. Some time, I hope very soon, we shall have, not merely in the House, but in the country, much more interest in this problem of coal than to-day, for of a surety we cannot, unless we have...
Mr Frank Collindridge: I bow to your Ruling, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, but I was merely trying to point out that the scheme in Australia is of such a character that miners, mineowners and the State make it possible for miners to be pensioned at 60, and you have more men coming into the industry in consequence. But I have finished with that, and I bow to your Ruling, Mr. Deputy-Speaker. I hope that the humble contribution...
Mr Frank Collindridge: asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the rate of accidents, fatal and non-fatal, in the mining industry in each of the last seven years in relation to man-shifts worked and 100,000 tons of coal got, respectively.
Mr Frank Collindridge: Could my hon. Friend say whether there is an improvement in those figures as compared with seven years ago?
Mr Frank Collindridge: asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the average weekly compensation paid to injured adult mineworkers.
Mr Frank Collindridge: May I ask your guidance on this Question, Mr. Speaker? I submitted it to the Ministry of Fuel and Power, which had entertained it for months in discussions and correspondence. This transfer has taken place without any notification to me.
Mr Frank Collindridge: In this case the Ministry of Fuel and Power have entertained the matter by discussion and correspondence, and it was to that Department that the Question was submitted.
Mr Frank Collindridge: Is the hon. Gentleman aware that a few weeks ago a miner was taken from opencast work and spent five months in the Army, and was then allowed to return to the mining industry, and that I have had particulars of a similar case sent to me this morning? Is he aware that we are losing miners, who are spending time and effort being trained in the Army, and are finally sent back to the mines?
Mr Frank Collindridge: What if the retailer's supplies are cut off as a consequence of his making a complaint?
Mr Frank Collindridge: When is that to be?
Mr Frank Collindridge: When the Minister made his statement asking for continued powers I was amazed that he hid his light under a bushel and did not show how he had used his powers. We had a Debate the other day on the Export Guarantees Bill, and a full case was made out to justify the continuance of the powers, and I felt that on this occasion the Minister would have offered some justification for his powers and...
Mr Frank Collindridge: The hon. and gallant Gentleman referred to the decline of output during the reign of control, but failed to refer to pertinent facts during the control period. The fact must be faced that, in war, no new pits are sunk. With the rapid development of mechanisation, there are longer roadways to be traversed in the old pits and maintenance men have to be employed supporting the longer roadways,...
Mr Frank Collindridge: While not wishing to go contrary to your wishes, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, surely if the Minister is asking for new powers, we should ask him how he will use them. In the case of a Bill of this importance, we should want him to tell us how he proposes to use these powers in the future. But I merely mentioned these points in passing and I will now endeavour to keep to your ruling. It is unfair to...