Mr Charles Peat: At the end of April, 1945, supplementary pensions were being paid in respect of about 1,590,000 old age pensioners and widows over the age of 60, or about 180,000 more than in January, 1943.
Mr Charles Peat: Not without notice.
Mr Charles Peat: The approximate number of motor vehicles which have been returned to the industry for disposal to date is 18,000. The great majority of these were civilian type vehicles and were returned to industry under the conditions contained in the agreement between the Ministry of Supply and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, a copy of which was sent to my hon. and gallant Friend on 9th...
Mr Charles Peat: My hon. and gallant Friend is entirely wrong in what he says. The final price to the consumer is very carefully joined up to the price which the Ministry gets in the first place.
Mr Charles Peat: I am certainly prepared to give the hon. and gallant Member the figures, if he will have a word with me afterwards.
Mr Charles Peat: What I intended to suggest was that the agreement has not been signed.
Mr Charles Peat: No, Sir. I cannot give that undertaking.
Mr Charles Peat: The main classes of goods for the disposal of which the Ministry of Supply is responsible are general purpose plant and machinery, machine tools, vehicles, locomotives and rolling stock, scientific instruments, hand tools, ball and roller bearings, medical stores and various raw materials. As stated in paragraph 10 of the White Paper on Disposals Policy (Cmd. 6539), it is intended, unless...
Mr Charles Peat: The re-usable timber recovered from the imported packing cases to which my hon. Friend refers is released against licence for those essential purposes for which it is most suited. The bulk of it is used again for the manufacture of packing cases. A certain amount is used for factory maintenance, but it is not suitable for ordinary building purposes.
Mr Charles Peat: Yes, Sir, it is.
Mr Charles Peat: Small scale production of polythene began before the war, but continued improvements have since been made. I.C.I. Ltd. inform me that Duponts were furnished with research information and samples over a period before the war and were given detailed manufacturing information in November, 1941, for the purpose of erecting a plant on behalf of the United States Government. T.C.I. also inform me...
Mr Charles Peat: Under the agreement between I.C.I. and Duponts all the information furnished by I.C.I. is to be strictly confidential, and for the use of Duponts only. This applies to information furnished on any subject, but having regard to the secrecy of polythene a letter was sent to the chairman of Duponts by Lord McGowan on 17th September, 1941, stressing the importance of keeping secret the uses for...
Mr Charles Peat: I cannot answer for Duponts. We only know that up to date there is no evidence that this material has been used by Germany.
Mr Charles Peat: It is a production from gas, or ethylene, which is used for the purpose of covering high frequency cables, particularly for radiolocation, and has special qualities which make it better than any other form of cable covering.
Mr Charles Peat: If there is anything I can do I will certainly do it.
Mr Charles Peat: My right hon. Friend will be glad to consider any alternative proposals for the use of this works which my hon. Friend has in mind.
Mr Charles Peat: I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture that kitchen waste will be wanted as a feeding stuff for pigs and poultry for the next four years, and possibly longer. Every effort is made to stimulate collections when necessary, and local authorities have recently been notified that the maximum collection of kitchen waste will be required for some time after the end of the...
Mr Charles Peat: Not a large number; and where they are failing, pressure is being brought to bear upon them.
Mr Charles Peat: Over the country as a whole arisings of certain kinds of waste material are now sufficient. But there is still a need for special effort in the salvaging of various materials, such as waste paper, rags, bones and kitchen waste, and this need will continue after the European war is over. While I recognise the difficulties with which local authorities and merchants have to contend, from the...
Mr Charles Peat: Yes, Sir.
