Mr David Ginsburg: Is the Minister aware that there is doubt whether this registration procedure is complete and that Members are in difficulty in questioning the President of the Board of Trade on this subject concerning the activities of the registrar? Is the hon. Gentleman aware, in particular, that there is a common price agreement governing the increase in prices of London evening newspapers which,...
Mr David Ginsburg: asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish comparative figures of defence expenditure per head for the countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, excluding Turkey and the United States of America, for 1955 and 1958.
Mr David Ginsburg: I look forward to these figures with interest. Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the figures which have been published on this subject by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, in July, 1960, show that in 1958 expenditure per head on defence was over twice as high in this country as in Germany? Are Her Majesty's Government satisfied that Germany is bearing her fair...
Mr David Ginsburg: asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what steps he is taking to strengthen the statistical staff of his Department.
Mr David Ginsburg: Would the Minister look again at the Report of the Social Survey? Will he, in particular, reread page 21 of the Report, which contains serious criticism of the inaccuracy and inadequacy of his Ministry's statistics?
Mr David Ginsburg: I hope that the hon. Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Sir A. Spearman) will forgive me if I do not follow him in his more controversial remarks, although I agreed with some of what he said. On Thursday last the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. C. Osborne), who is not with us at present, suggested that we should all adopt a self-denying ordinance and should speak for only ten minutes. That is...
Mr David Ginsburg: That intervention gives added point to what I am saying. This is an important subject which should be debated in this House. Certainly, it should be inquired into. I quite agree that the Budget should be a part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, but the revenue-raising and establishment functions are matters which could be put on one side. It is no coincidence in this connection that...
Mr David Ginsburg: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the figures for the United Kingdom for increases in industrial production for the third quarter of 1952 to the first quarter of 1955, for the first quarter of 1955 to the third quarter of 1958, and for the third quarter of 1958 to the second quarter of 1960; and if he will give, on the basis of statistics available to him through the...
Mr David Ginsburg: Do not those figures show that between 1955 and 1958 while this country stood still Europe surged ahead? Is not this a strong argument for ending the credit squeeze now, otherwise the same thing will happen again?
Mr David Ginsburg: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage decline over 1950 for net receipts by the United Kingdom of interest, profits, and dividends for the years 1957, 1958, and 1959.
Mr David Ginsburg: Is not this a very serious decline indeed, especially as in 1950 this item had not recovered from the war? Does not this show that we are paying an extremely high price at present for the Government's dear money policy?
Mr David Ginsburg: asked the Minister of Power what has been the improvement in the level of labour productivity for the last three years in the coal mining industry; and how this compares with the change in productivity for industry as a whole.
Mr David Ginsburg: I note that reply but, because the comparison the Minister has made refers to manufacturing industry, is it not the case that over 1960 productivity in the mines has improved rapidly compared with industry as a whole, which is in fact standing still, and does not that reflect great credit on the miners of this country and the leadership of the National Coal Board?
Mr David Ginsburg: Before the hon. and gallant Gentleman leaves that point, should he not, for the sake of fairness in the comparison, add that the length of the shift in Germany has been increased by half-an-hour in the last few years? That, of course, has made a very important contribution to the O.M.S. figure.
Mr David Ginsburg: The hon. Gentleman said a few minutes ago that my hon. Friend the Member for Southwark (Mr. Gunter) said that the oil position was not known. I think the critical point is that it is not known from Government statistics what is the true invisible position. We have listened to interesting sentiments from the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro), but I should be grateful if he would give...
Mr David Ginsburg: As other Members on this side of the Committee wish to follow me in the debate, I hope the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) will forgive me if I do not proceed immediately to take up the points he has raised. Unlike my colleagues, I myself cannot claim a practical experience of the coal mining industry, but it is only right that voice should be given to the anxieties of...
Mr David Ginsburg: I am sorry, I would rather not give way now because of the time factor and because I want to develop my argument. If oil consumption standing at 90 million tons is deducted from 280 million tons plus the 10 million tons of the atomic programme, we are left with 180 million tons for the coal industry. This is a serious point, and I hope that when the Parliamentary Secretary replies he will...
Mr David Ginsburg: rose—
Mr David Ginsburg: asked the Prime Minister whether he will instruct Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister of Labour, the President of the Board of Trade and other Ministers responsible for social welfare to consult together with a view to appointing an interdepartmental committee on the distribution of wealth.
Mr David Ginsburg: Is not this a rather urgent question? Will the Prime Minister recall his own reference in The Middle Way to the insecurity that arises when 1 per cent. of the population owns 60 per cent. of the wealth? Is he not aware that the position is not much better now? Will he give thought to the personnel of such a committee and pay particular attention to the claims of the hon. Member for Halifax...