Mr John Haire: Will the hon. Gentleman recollect that about a year ago hardwood was returned to private enterprise, and that since then there have been increases in the price?
Mr John Haire: It also happens to apply to home-grown timber.
Mr John Haire: Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is very important to encourage people living in Hungary with the evidence that we are taking steps, even though we think at times that they are futile—that at least there should be some encouragement to them to go on resisting?
Mr John Haire: If my hon. Friend is arguing that one should count heads to determine to which part of Ireland the three Ulster counties should belong, is he aware that Monaghan, Cavan and Donegal had in fact a majority of Catholics?
Mr John Haire: It was worth coming 200 miles from my unit, where I am serving my 15 days in the Royal Air Force, to hear the two opening speeches of this debate and the speech of the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Foot). I am supposed to be refreshing myself in the methods of defence of the Kingdom and Commonwealth, but I am pleased to come here today to do a bit of defending of my own native heath where I...
Mr John Haire: I am glad that the hon. Member has brought me right up to date, to June, 1951. I confess that my figures are a few months old. Do not let us become too aged in our facts. My hon. Friend the Member for Devonport has just given us a description of how our various bodies in Northern Ireland do not contain any minority representatives. He spoke about the Housing Trust. It would be useful to...
Mr John Haire: I am not aware whether they have applied at Protestant schools; they prefer, as my hon. Friend knows, to try to get jobs in Catholic schools. The same thing applies to nursing. So many contentious things have been said about this side of the hospitals in Belfast that I should like to have time to quote something in contrast. Do not let my hon. Friends below the Gangway think that I am wholly...
Mr John Haire: Surely the answer to the question, which is often asked in this House, is that the local councils do pay attention to this and provide these statistics?
Mr John Haire: Can my right hon. Friend say what are the difficulties in obtaining sufficient supplies of scrap from Germany?
Mr John Haire: Is my right hon. Friend considering fully the international political implications of this cut in this service at the present time when, as the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Profumo) said, both America and Russia are increasing their services? Will he particularly take note that this service is the only propaganda weapon we have against Eastern Europe at present, and do everything he can to...
Mr John Haire: asked the Secretary of State for War what is the basis of recruitment for the War Graves Commission: and how many recruits have been added to headquarters staff since 1948.
Mr John Haire: Would my hon. Friend consider introducing a competitive examination as in other branches of the Civil Service, to eliminate any possible charge of nepotism or jobs for the old school boys?
Mr John Haire: asked the Lord President of the Council if he intends to have a film of the Festival of Britain made.
Mr John Haire: Will my right hon. Friend see that when this film is made it is given the widest possible circulation overseas in order that those persons who may be unable to come to the Festival will be able to see the truth about Britain and not the story told by the party opposite?
Mr John Haire: The hon. Gentleman should know that these documents have been available for weeks. They have been known to the trade and I am surprised that he cannot get them.
Mr John Haire: On a point of order. As I understand it, the hon. Member says that other hon. Members are not familiar with the prices of the items he is reading out. I submit that all these figures have been available since 7th February and have been known to the whole of our furniture industry. The hon. Member is indulging in repetition about facts which are well known.
Mr John Haire: It has been a welcome change to hear the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Eden) not attempting to make any party points on this occasion. I welcome the change from the sort of approach we had a fortnight ago in the defence debate. Therefore, in following him, I can say quite freely that there was much in what he said with which I can agree. He made a...
Mr John Haire: It must be clear to all hon. Members that we are preparing our Forces for defence against atomic and rocket projectiles. Therefore, we should think in terms of supersonic interception fighters, jet-powered day or night fighters. That also brings us to consideration of our radar equipment and our preparations to meet this new type of destruction. I would have liked my right hon. and learned...
Mr John Haire: I think I said that the aircraft approached at 40,000 ft. I agree that they were jet fighters. When my hon. Friend replies perhaps we might hear something of "Exercise Emperor" and the lessons to be learnt from it. A number of United States aircraft have arrived in this country in the past year or 18 months. That has led to considerable controversy in certain quarters. These aircraft and...
Mr John Haire: I should have thought that there was no lack of targets in this country if there were an enemy, and that the presence of a few American squadrons in East Anglia is not likely to provide an additional target to attract them. I hope that in omitting reference to the presence of our United States friends in this country my right hon. and learned Friend did not intend any discourtesy to them,...
