Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider the teaching of a common language, either Arabic or English, in Government-aided schools in Aden, to promote a greater understanding among the different races.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the Minister of Health what was the total of payments approved by the Minister to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents under Section 228 (1) of the Local Government Act, 1933, or under Section 136 of the Local Government Act, 1948, for the last financial year for which figures are available.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the Minister of Health the number of tuberculosis patients awaiting hospital treatment in England and Wales.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are many patients who are kept waiting for long periods through no fault of his, and could he take any steps to expedite the matter?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: Far more than on the hon. Gentleman's side.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the Minister of Health what financial economies he has asked for in the Home Help Service.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: Is it true to say that there has been no reduction in the quality of the Home Help Service offered?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I am sure we are very grateful to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Ward) for raising this subject of the shortage of protective clothing for certain industries. I want only to refer to the matter in so far as it affects the food trades and food shops, because it is from those interests in my constituency that I have received representations on the subject. I think it unfortunate that, at...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: Can my hon. Friend say whether the shortage is due purely to lack of labour or to lack of materials? I understood from the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. G. Ward) that there are manufacturers not working to capacity at the present time. Is that due to shortage of materials or shortage of labour, or neither?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: Can my right hon. Friend say if time will be given to discuss the Interim Report of the Leasehold Committee, which deals with the subject of business premises?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the Minister of Works whether he will now make a statement on the issuing of an annual pass for ancient monuments what the price of the pass will be; and from where it can be obtained.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: While thanking my right hon. Friend for the imagination that he and his Department have shown, may I ask whether the lists of the ancient monuments that he controls will be available?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the hardship to thousands of small businesses all over the country, he will introduce legislation at an early date to implement the Interim Report of the Leasehold Committee.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: In view of the fact that the Committee has gone into such great details on this matter and has made specific recommendations, surely the complexity of the subject cannot be any reason for not doing justice to a deserving section of the community?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: They have always gone without.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: asked the President of the Board of Trade whether increased quantities of utility clothing have been available in the last six months, compared with the previous six months.
Mr Arthur Skeffington: Will my hon. Friend remind the President of the Board of Trade that when the matter of Purchase Tax on clothing was under consideration it was promised that supplies of tax-free utility clothing would be increased, and that this is now a matter of urgency?
Mr Arthur Skeffington: I should not have ventured to take part in this Debate if I had not had the opportunity of going to East Africa just over 12 months ago and seeing at first hand a little of the scheme in operation and the reactions to it. I should like to begin by congratulating the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Sir J. Barlow) on his opening speech for, although I do not agree with all his conclusions, yet much...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: At the same time we have to remember that our own population has been increasing, and that there is available for food production at home only something like 0.6 of an acre per head, whereas what was required was something like 1.6 per acre per head if we are to maintain the average diet of 1938. We cannot do it from our territorial resources, which was an additional reason why we had to buy...
Mr Arthur Skeffington: rose—