Mr Edward Milne: When will the right hon Gentleman agree to stop juggling with statistics and deal a little more sympathetically with this matter? Does he realise that the weightings in the cost of living index are heavily against the old-age pensioners? Will he have a look at the question of food and fuel in relation to pensioners and then tell us what he is prepared to do about it? Is he not aware that it...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy in regard to the tax on ice cream, soft drinks and sweets.
Mr Edward Milne: Will the right hon. Gentleman look into a number of factors of this matter? The tax in itself has never been a justifiable one in any case. It has contributed to unemployment in many areas and to falling off of demand. Quite a number of manufacturers have sheltered behind it in order to cloak price increases, including altering the size of the commodities. The matter needs very careful...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will open a branch of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in Newcastle.
Mr Edward Milne: While in some respects the North-East leads the country, will the hon. Gentleman see that we are given an opportunity on this occasion of not lagging behind? An extension of such facilities would be greatly welcomed.
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to ensure that objectors at public hearings of the transport users' consultative committee be given an opportunity to reply to points made by the Railways Board representative.
Mr Edward Milne: Is the Minister aware that it is precisely the scope of questioning that needs looking into, because many districts where closures are envisaged have become development districts? That leads to shift in population, which means that the consultative committees must be more flexible in their hearings than in the past?
Mr Edward Milne: The port of Blyth is as old as coal itself. It has handled it for export to other parts for about 600 years. In 1961, Blyth's coal exporting record of more than 6,800,000 tons and the present annual total of approaching 6 million tons establish its claim to the title of the premier coal port not only of Britain but of Europe. From 13 coal shipping points in the harbour during that...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will place in the Library copies of the evidence given to the Lord President of the Council in his survey of the North-East, and a list of the bodies he had discussions with.
Mr Edward Milne: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a considerable amount of valuable information, and, indeed, valuable advice, was given to the Lord President of the Council in his researches into the North-East? This is something which would help not only the North-East but the Board of Trade itself if it were to tackle this growing problem of unemployment, and in fact may be of great assistance to...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will introduce legislation to amend the Local Employment Act to enable grants to be paid to local authorities who are building their own advance factories in order to combat unemployment.
Mr Edward Milne: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that does not go far enough and that we are concerned not merely with the labour involved in the construction of factories but with the number of jobs which those factories will provide? Is he not aware that it would be a great incentive and encouragement to local authorities building their own advance factories to have assistance of this description? As...
Mr Edward Milne: Will the Leader of the House consider giving an opportunity to discuss the Motion, signed by hon. Members on both sides of the House, in regard to advertising cigarettes on TV, particularly in view of the recent American Report and of the fact that it is today reported that even juke-box advertisers have now decided to remove cigarette advertising from juke boxes in this country?
Mr Edward Milne: I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to provide for the registration of travel agencies; and for purposes connected therewith. I am certain that my Motion will be received with earnest consideration by the House, which, in recent weeks, has focused its attention very closely on the need for further measures to protect the interests of the consumer and purchasing public. My...
Mr Edward Milne: I, too, am indebted to my hon. Friend the Member for Dunbartonshire, East (Mr. Bence) for raising the question of the dispersal of Government offices to other areas, because while I naturally stake a claim for the north-east of England and my own area, the general argument contained in the idea of dispersal is sound not only for the areas to which the Departments would be dispersed, but for...
Mr Edward Milne: In the broadcast, as an example of what the North-East was lacking in comparison with London, we were shown civilising things like striptease clubs and chemin-de-fer betting-shops. We have often raised in the House the question of attracting new industries to the North-East, Scotland, the South-West and Wales. There are solid economic arguments for such moves. In addition, the pressure of...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will state the number of firms in the Blyth constituency which made applications for Board of Trade Advisory Committee assistance in the last two years, the number of requests granted, and the number of applications still being dealt with.
Mr Edward Milne: I am grateful to the Parliamentary Secretary for that reply. What steps are now being taken to point out to industrialists that the development district outside the growth zone is still eligible for aid and that the grants available within the growth zone are also available in the development district of Blyth itself?
Mr Edward Milne: Is the Leader of the House prepared to reconsider his reply about monopolies and the issue of the Government White Paper on resale price maintenance? Does he think that his reply about it being a week nearer than it was this time last week was the brightest way of dealing with a question which is of vital importance to millions of people?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the sales at each of Her Majesty's Stationery Office centres in Great Britain for 1963, and the comparative figures for the preceding 12 months.