Mr Robert Dennison: 29. asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the Associations of Coal Owners in Monmouthshire, South Wales, and the Forest of Dean have directed that the freight rebates on all coal are to be retained by the colliery companies; and what steps it is proposed to take to secure to the iron and steel and other industries the relief intended to accrue to them from the rebate on freights?
Mr Robert Dennison: I have seen the answer which the hon. and gallant Gentleman has already given to the question, but will he please state why it was that the President of the Board of Trade during the discussion of this Bill made it clear that the freight rebate to the companies would be carried over to the iron and steel industries and to other industries using coal?
Mr Robert Dennison: 46. asked the Prime Minister if the oil companies have yet submitted a statement to the Government giving reasons for the recent increase of 2¼d. per gallon in the price of petrol; and, if so, will he inform the House of the contents of the communication?
Mr Robert Dennison: 37. asked the Prime Minister whether his communication to the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation on 8th February last represents a final decision of the Government on the request to institute an inquiry into the iron and steel industry or whether the matter is open to reconsideration?
Mr Robert Dennison: Will the committee that it is proposed to set up following the General Election, if the Government are returned to power, inquire into, report, and make recommendations on, matters other than Safeguarding affecting iron and steel?
Mr Robert Dennison: In view of the statement made by the Prime Minister in his letter of 8th February, that if the Government are returned they propose setting up a different kind of committee to deal with the question of Safeguarding, will the new committee deal with questions other than Safeguarding, and in addition to Safeguarding?
Mr Robert Dennison: 11. asked the President of the Board of Trade when the last annual general meeting of the Obbuassi Mines Company took place; is he satisfied that the statutory conditions of this company are being complied with; and, if not, what action be proposes to take?
Mr Robert Dennison: Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the company has filed its return for 1927?
Mr Robert Dennison: Or for 1926?
Mr Robert Dennison: In view of the fact that the City Corporation of Birmingham and the Birmingham Board of Guardians have made representations to the right hon. Gentleman and to the Government to refrain from sending transferred unemployed to Birmingham, will not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider his reply, and see that people living in Birmingham who are unemployed are given employment before transferred...
Mr Robert Dennison: Has the right hon. Gentleman received communications from these two bodies, or has he not?
Mr Robert Dennison: Will the right hon. Gentleman indicate what he means by "recently," because I have information that within the last three weeks a protest has been made to the right hon. Gentleman?
Mr Robert Dennison: 26. asked the Minister of Labour what action, if any, his Department has taken to effect a setlement of the dispute between the owners and the operatives in the manufactured iron trade in the West of Scot- land; is he aware that a board of conciliation and arbitration has been in existence for 32 years and that the practice of the industry has been to settle differences without stoppage of...
Mr Robert Dennison: In view of the Prime Minister's pledge on behalf of the Government to have "Peace in our time, O Lord," will the Department that is concerned with peace in industry bring the employers to book in respect to these matters?
Mr Robert Dennison: In view of the difficulties that many distressed and unemployed workpeople are experiencing, will the Noble Lord lay down, by a White Paper or by an answer to a question, what the term "mining area" means for the purpose of the distribution of the Lord Mayor's Fund?
Mr Robert Dennison: 10. asked the President of the Board of Education if any part of the Lord Mayor's Relief Fund has been or will be available for distressed iron and steel workers and their families throughout the counties of Staffordshire, Lincolnshire, Salop and Yorkshire?
Mr Robert Dennison: In view of the well-known distress existing among this class of workpeople not resident within these areas and the fact that the fund is being contributed to by the taxpayers' money, will the Noble Lord see that all cases of distress equally participate in the available relief?
Mr Robert Dennison: Bearing in mind that we have not yet had defined what is a mining area, will the Noble Lord see that the House is supplied with this information?
Mr Robert Dennison: Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman have regard to the distress which is prevailing among other workpeople who are not included in what may be described as a mining area?
Mr Robert Dennison: But in view of the fact that the Government are now making a contribution from the taxpayers' money, ought not this Fund to apply to all cases of distress, and not be specifically earmarked for individuals?