Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: asked the Minister of Agriculture on how many and on which of the areas affected by fowl pest a ban has been imposed on the movement of live and dead poultry.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: asked the Minister of Agriculture which counties in Scotland have been affected by fowl pest; whether any conclusion has been reached regarding the origin of the outbreak; and what steps are being taken to deal with it.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether a ban has been placed on the movement of live or dead poultry out of any of these affected areas?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Does that apply to all the affected areas?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this ban on movement has been applied to all the affected areas?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that a meeting was held recently at Inverness between representatives of the Scottish Land and Property Federation, the branches and area branches of the National Farmers' Union and members of the Northern Pastoral Club to consider the serious curtailment of food and wool production which will result from the present and future...
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: asked the Minister of Food how many tons of sago flour were imported from Sarawak during 1947, 1948 and the first six months of 1949, respectively; and what was the average number of tons imported annually during the 10 immediate pre-war years.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Is the Ministry still importing sago flour?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: asked the Minister of Food the price at which unbranded, undressed sago flour was offered to him by merchants at Singapore in September, 1949; and the basic selling price ex-store at which it was offered to consumers in the United Kingdom during the same month.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Was that a profit of close on 75 per cent., and did the Ministry charge this exorbitant profit in order partially to cover up some losses on bulk purchase buying?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: asked the Minister of Food if he will take immediate steps to remove all controls on the importation of sago flour into the United Kingdom in order to encourage production in Sarawak, preserve the traditional market in the United Kingdom, help our shipping industry, and satisfy the needs of consumers in this country.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: To which does the right hon. Lady attach more importance, selling starch at a uniform price irrespective of quality or burking the consequences of had bargains in bulk buying?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: The hon. Member is getting very far away from the subject of the Debate.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Is that figure not still below what it was in 1938?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: I wonder if the right hon. Gentleman could say something about the treatment which is being meted out to British shipping in the Canal at the present time. I understand they are liable to be held up as long as 10 days, and made to discharge a large part of their cargoes, which involves enormous expense. Why is this being done, and what steps are being taken to stop it?
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: I beg to move, in page 25, line 19, at the end, to insert— (d) all properties comprised in the countries of Orkney and Shetland. Hon. Members who sit for Scottish constituencies are sometimes accused of taking an undue interest in the antiquarian side of politics. On occasions, in my capacity as a Chairman of the Scottish Standing Committee, I have had to recall them to the present. I am,...
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: I am not proposing to discuss the merits or demerits of Skat. I must refer to it, however, in order to make my case with regard to the Land Tax. Lord Henry St. Clair's accounts are still extant and they show that he gathered the Land Tax and applied it in the islands for its proper purpose. This continued until 1469, when Orkney and Shetland were pledged to the Scottish Crown by King...
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: Well, Mr. Burden, the Scottish Crown. It was foolish to have granted to a private citizen and his successors the irredeemable right to collect a public tax and use it for his own private purposes. But having made that error it was indefensible on the part of the Crown to cover up its own folly by victimising the people of Orkney and Shetland. This grievance has subsisted for over 300...
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: That is just what I cannot do. It can only be done by the Government dealing with it.
Major Sir Basil Neven-Spence: If the right hon. and learned Gentleman looks up some of the observations of distinguished members of the Court of Session in the past he will find that the whole land retains its essential udal character. The granting of feudal charters has not altered the fundamentally udal nature of land tenure in Orkney and Shetland.