Mr Sydney Irving: Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware, first of all, that the demand for these lollies is increasing much faster than the demand for ice cream, and that one firm produced from one factory a million and a half during the heat wave? Is he also aware that, as the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, only prescribed standards for water ices, these fruit lollies are escaping the supervision of the health...
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Minister of Health what advice he has received from the Medical Research Council on the effects of minor illnesses of expectant mothers on the growing unborn child and, in particular, on the danger of the birth to a woman catching German measles in the first three months of pregnancy of a baby born with a congenital malformation.
Mr Sydney Irving: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, in view of the publicity given to the statement of certain medical officers about the wisdom of daughters and young girls being infected early with this disease, some guidance ought to be given to the public about it?
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he will be able to announce his decisions on Part B of the Kent Development Plan.
Mr Sydney Irving: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his Department has already had this plan for some four years, that it is causing considerable embarrassment to local authorities and others, and that in fact the new review was due next year? It is therefore very difficult for authorities to do the work for that review without decisions on the plan being submitted.
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many authorities on the fringe of the Greater London area he consulted as to their views on being included in the terms of reference of the Royal Commission on London; how many of these expressed disapproval; and how many of those consulted were finally so included.
Mr Sydney Irving: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that at least some authorities felt that the Minister had already made up his mind and that this was a futile exercise and a waste of time? Will the right hon. Gentleman make clear to those authorities what their rights are with reference to the Local Government Boundary Commission, where they would normally and naturally belong in the review that is taking place?
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will consider issuing a simple standard form for use by landlords and tenants of decontrolled property who wish to make a three-year agreement under the terms of the Rent Act, 1957.
Mr Sydney Irving: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many tenants of decontrolled property are being required to pay £6 or £7 legal fees for this agreement? Is not this adding insult to injury to tenants already at the mercy of landlords? Will not the right hon. Gentleman do something to make this much more widely known to the people who need the forms?
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what figure was disclosed as the average weekly household expenditure on fruit in Great Britain in 1955 by the recent inquiry by the National Food Survey Committee.
Mr Sydney Irving: Is the hon. Member aware that those figures show that the consumption of fruit in this country is lower than it was pre-war, and that the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the years 1953–1956 show that only two countries in Europe are consuming less fruit per head than we are? Is that not a regrettable state of affairs? What does the hon. Gentleman's Department propose...
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will consult with the Chamber of Shipping as to the possibilities of implementing the recent suggestions by its President for dealing with the problem of flags of convenience by the formation by those nations who suffer from the competition of these bogus flags of a club which would not allow ships built or owned in their countries to...
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of geologists employed in Government service in the Colonies; how many of these are engaged in prospecting for radioactive ores or associated projects; and how many of these are employed in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
Mr Sydney Irving: Does this not confirm the view expressed by a contributor in The Times Colonial Review that this was a "man and boy" approach to exploration in the Colonies? As the view was also expressed that a similar effort as has been given in America, Canada or South Africa could produce a similar result, does this not indicate a terrible failure to exploit our colonial resources? To what extent are the...
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to encourage the training and recruitment of geologists for work in the Colonies in the locating of deposits of radioactive ore.
Mr Sydney Irving: While thanking the Minister for that reply, in view of the shortage of geologists, may I ask what encouragement he proposes to give to the establishment of a department of geology in the University College of Nyasaland and Rhodesia?
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to make use of the services of geologists on the staffs of British universities for research and tuition during their long vacation; and what encouragement he is giving to senior students to take on holiday employment in the Colonies.
Mr Sydney Irving: Does not the fact that more students and full-time staff are engaged by the Geological Survey of Greenland than in all the Colonies we control indicate that not enough is being done? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that remunerative vacation employment can be got for students in Canada but not at all in Africa?
Mr Sydney Irving: asked the President of the Board of Trade how many tons of below-cost butter have been dumped in Great Britain in each of the last three years.
Mr Sydney Irving: As this matter has been raised in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, is the President of the Board of Trade aware that the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture in New Zealand estimates the figure to be 40,000? What effect does the right hon. Gentleman expect that the Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act, 1957, will have on this position?
