Mr Ken Lomas: Would not my hon. and learned Friend agree that not to give some form of tax relief for these people who are compelled to travel by public transport and incur a cost of 10s. a week or more places them at a gross disadvantage compared with those who obtain a car from the firm for which they work or receive a substantial car allowance?
Mr Ken Lomas: It seems that the hon. Gentleman is making the great error of not appreciating that there is an entirely different link between this country and Rhodesia, and that of Rhodesia with any other nation in the world, that Rhodesia is part of the Commonwealth. As a consequence of that, we have a special responsibility to Rhodesia. Surely, because we recognise that a treasonable act has taken...
Mr Ken Lomas: It is a privilege and at the same time something of a disappointment, to follow the hon. Gentleman the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas) because, until this afternoon, I was firmly of the opinion that he was a liberal-minded Tory. He seems to have proved quite conclusively that he is as bad as the rest. The whole point of his argument seems to be to prove, perhaps to himself, that...
Mr Ken Lomas: asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he is aware that Rhodesian students at present studying or training in this country are liable to ill-treatment by the illegal régime of Rhodesia when they return home; and what provision he is making to protect them.
Mr Ken Lomas: Is my right hon. Friend aware that the fear of ill-treatment was strongly expressed to me by Rhodesian students at present at the Huddersfield Training College when I spoke to them some weeks ago? Is he in a position to inform the House what steps the Government intend to take to assist those students who are at present suffering great financial difficulties as a direct result of the illegal...
Mr Ken Lomas: asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what is the position of the wife of a Rhodesian student who desires to join her husband in Great Britain and is unable to obtain a valid passport.
Mr Ken Lomas: While I am grateful for that reply, may I ask if it is possible for the Minister now to say if the statement will provide for the issue of United Kingdom passports in exceptional cases such as the one mentioned in my Question?
Mr Ken Lomas: I should like to ask my hon. Friend if he can give any indication to the House when this report will be published?
Mr Ken Lomas: I am grateful for having caught your eye, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I feel like an adventurous young man who has been sitting here for two and a half days waiting to catch the eye of a virtuous maiden, and who now having received the nod proceeds to take advantage of it. I hasten to assure the House that the only advantage that I intend to take is slightly to widen the scope of the debate, for...
Mr Ken Lomas: I have not mentioned steel, but I intend to do so because some of my colleagues and I were sponsors of an Amendment to the Gracious Speech which, I suppose, for all kinds of reasons, will not be called. In fairness to the 50-odd Members who signed the Amendment last night, it is only fitting that it should be made clear that our view on steel is quite simple. We believe, as the Prime Minister...
Mr Ken Lomas: asked the Minister of Health whether he has completed his review of his policy on pay beds; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Ken Lomas: Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind in the course of his consideration of the review of pay beds that according to figures issued in the Annual Report of the Ministry of Health for 1964 there was an average daily number of 5,449 Section 5 pay beds available and in the course of the year the average daily number in use was only 2,892? Is it not wrong that only 53 per cent. of the pay beds...
Mr Ken Lomas: asked the Minister of Health whether he has reached a decision on the proposal that hitherto suspected canned meat should be re-processed and released by the firms at present holding it and sold for human consumption; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Ken Lomas: In the reply to the right hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Godber) on 27th October, my hon. Friend stated that these tins had left the country. What exactly does "left the country" mean? Did they leave by themselves, were they dumped in the river, or were they re-exported?
Mr Ken Lomas: rose—
Mr Ken Lomas: Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will concede the point that we still have another four years to go? These are only the first 12 months.
Mr Ken Lomas: It is not my intention to follow what the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Sir T. Beamish) has said, because so much of it is based on the assmption that the Government who were returned nine or ten months ago should in that time have implemented a programme which was designed for five years. It must be emphasised that the Government have been in power for only nine or ten months, one-sixth...
Mr Ken Lomas: Yes, I will. First, a report on the state of the schools was not published until after the election, because the Conservatives were frightened of the consequences. Secondly, they did not disclose the terrible financial situation into which we were moving. Thirdly, the Conservatives concealed the fact that the Post Office had a deficit of £100 million. I could give many more examples. The...
Mr Ken Lomas: asked the Minister of Labour when he intends to introduce legislation to extend the Factories Acts to include Health Service and local government employees.
Mr Ken Lomas: Is my hon. Friend aware that that is a most disappointing reply inasmuch as in the Health Service, for example, laundry workers are covered but those in boiler-houses are not, and people who serve meals to the staff are covered, while those who serve them to the patients are not? Ought not people