Mr Archibald Manuel: Is my hon. Friend aware that that reply will give immense satisfaction to many parents in Scotland—hon. Gentlemen opposite may scoff, but the election will show how wrong they are on this question?
Mr Archibald Manuel: Is my hon. Friend also aware that if the Opposition, during their 13 years, had taken up the work that they ought to have taken up in this regard, his job would have been much easier?
Mr Archibald Manuel: Before my hon. Friend proceeds any further with the derating of any more agricultural buildings, will he ensure that none of the buildings so derated is sub-let by owners for other purposes?
Mr Archibald Manuel: Will my right hon. Friend advise the Opposition that in many areas in Britain train services have improved and heating has also improved and, because of the more modern stock being brought into operation, complaints are fewer? Will he also inform the House with reference to punctuality that many things can happen which only working railwaymen understand, such as speed restrictions being put...
Mr Archibald Manuel: Can my right hon. Friend say in connection with the deficit he mentioned how much assistance was given to private woodland owners in Wales for research, felling and planting operations in the year he quoted?
Mr Archibald Manuel: Does my right hon. Friend recognise that if we are to stop the drift of workers from the land farming units must be much larger and must give greater opportunities for promotion? Certainly wages must be much higher and the houses occupied by many farm workers must be improved.
Mr Archibald Manuel: Is my right hon. Friend aware that two days ago—[Interruption.]
Mr Archibald Manuel: Is my right hon. Friend aware that two days ago the hon. Member for Torrington (Mr. Peter Mills) asked for more help for agriculture in underdeveloped countries? Is the hon. Member now complaining that their exports come here?
Mr Archibald Manuel: But does not my hon. Friend recognise that figures about percentage increases are most misleading in many instances? In some cases, the lower-paid workers have had no advance at all.
Mr Archibald Manuel: The hon. Gentleman will be aware from the figures which we were given a few weeks ago that there were 40,000 prosecutions for the evasion of tax in the Greater London Council area. Surely that proves that there is widespread evasion.
Mr Archibald Manuel: Would the hon. Gentleman agree that it will not be nonsense once the Bill becomes law? The Parliamentary Secretary has explained that these other cases, which the hon. Member, with his usual over-statement, is trying to highlight, will be dealt with by regulations. Recognising that, after the Bill becomes law, they will receive automatically not just one notice but two if they do not renew...
Mr Archibald Manuel: Is not "keeper" a safer word? Many cars are bought on hire purchase. Finance houses are the owners because they advance the money and collect the contributions. The man in the process of paying for the car is the keeper. The person who may leave the car in a derelict state is far removed from the actual driving of the car.
Mr Archibald Manuel: Does my right hon. Friend not recognise that some of us have constituents who have been detained for many months and that we are reaching the end of our patience? Will he consider relieving hon. Members from the constant anxiety and messages from relatives? Will he send someone out from the Foreign Office to see where these people are? We cannot even discover where they are or what prison...
Mr Archibald Manuel: Is my hon. Friend aware that this continual denigration of council house tenants and criticisms about the rents they pay is not a good thing for Scotland, and that while we recognise that we want reasonable rents, we must remember that owner-occupiers buying houses are receiving far more by way of relief from Income Tax than council tenants do in subsidy?
Mr Archibald Manuel: asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to amend the Prices and Incomes Act, 1968, so as to bring the rents of new local authority houses within the control provisions of the Act.
Mr Archibald Manuel: Will my hon. Friend not recognise how grossly unfair it is that tenants of new local authority houses now coming into occupation, where rents are fixed much higher than for older houses, have no protection under the Prices and Incomes Act, whereas tenants of older houses have such protection. What is he prepared to do about it?
Mr Archibald Manuel: asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take to give to caravan dwellers similar protection to that which the Rent Act gives to the occupiers of houses.
Mr Archibald Manuel: Is my hon. Friend not aware that, owing to the shortage of houses in Scotland many people are occupying caravans, thus helping themselves instead of imposing a burden on the local authority? These people have been living in caravans for long periods; does he not think that they should have rent protection?
Mr Archibald Manuel: Will my right hon. Friend recognise, however, that railway superannuitants have been very patient and waiting a long time for recognition of their just claims? Public service pensioners have had two increases and railway superannuitants throughout Britain are now in a difficult position economically.
Mr Archibald Manuel: Would my hon. Friend agree that the White Paper dealing with the transfer of heavy loads from road to rail made it perfectly clear that, while there would be a 10 per cent. movement from rail to road in the coming 10 years, that would not impede road traffic, the volume of which would continue to increase?