Mr Joseph Sullivan: I beg to move, in page 11, line 10, at the end, to insert the words: Provided that any intervening county territory shall be included within the burghs so united, and the Secretary of State, subject to the provisions of this Act, on submission by the town and county clerks, jointly or severally, of a plan showing the boundaries and the territory to be so included, shall by order approve of a...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: I could give illustrations of such cases.
Mr Joseph Sullivan: The object of the Amendment is to avoid unnecessary expense in connection with the taking over of territory, and to give powers to the Secretary of State to approve the plan of the territory to be included or make necessary alterations.
Mr Joseph Sullivan: I wish to put in a few words in connection with the taking away of the ad hoc authorities in Scottish education. I have been following this discussion closely, and I have heard Scottish education described by a number of people. I can assure the hon. and learned Member for Argyllshire (Mr. Macquisten) that I know from experience the system of education which prevails. At one time, the parish...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: It is a question that people have been talking about, and it is one of the reasons why the Government think that they will have a certain amount of support in touching up education again. It would be much better if they allowed it to rest, always keeping in mind that they ought to put in that Amendment with regard to religious instruction. This is a bigger question than the Government have...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: This has been the turn that the discussion has taken, but I do not wish to go against your Ruling. The question was addressed from the other side by the hon. and learned Member for Argyllshire, and it is only right that it should be answered. No provision is made in this Bill for loss of time, and yet it is going to be a full-time job for any man who does it. Instead of saving money by this...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us if steel and iron workers will come under the scheme?
Mr Joseph Sullivan: 42. asked the Minister of Health the number of new houses built in England and Wales under the various Housing Acts since 1921 up to the latest date for which returns are available?
Mr Joseph Sullivan: The hon. Member for East Aberdeen (Mr. Boothby) has spoken at great length reproving hon. Members on the Opposition side for dealing with committee points during the Second Reading of this Bill. Then the same hon. Member proceeded in his own way to make a contribution which meant nothing at all. After making a number of criticisms of the Measure, the hon. and gallant Member for Ayr Burghs...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: The hon. and gallant Member knows quite well that some of the fiercest critics of the Government are to be found in the constituencies represented by Conservative Members, and they are shaking their fists at the Government in regard to the proposals of this Bill. The point I want to make is that if de-rating is a good thing, why mix it up with a proposal to abolish so many public authorities...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: Do not make a preamble before you read it.
Mr Joseph Sullivan: If my memory serves me right—I read the Report before I came to London—we recommended that the treatment of the outdoor poor should remain in the hands of the parish councils, and that the indoor poor should go to a larger area.
Mr Joseph Sullivan: 54. asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of Germans, French and Italians at present residing in London?
Mr Joseph Sullivan: 55. asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what payment, if any, has been made by the Government of France towards the reduction of war debt this year?
Mr Joseph Sullivan: In view of the attitude taken up by the Minister in this case, which is really an insult to the House, and his refusal to give information, I would ask you if this Motion cannot be accepted?
Mr Joseph Sullivan: I have waited in order to have a word in this Debate. I think the Minister has under-estimated the number concerned. To-morrow 1,300,000 will attend at the Employment Exchanges in the various parts of the, country, and the provision made is 17s. a week for single men, and 18s. for married men. My complaint is that the figures given by the Minister of Labour are wholly misleading. Every man...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: Repeatedly references have been made to what is called the burden on industry. My contention is that it is the worker who has to carry this burden. I hope the House will assist us in getting bare justice for the workers.
Mr Joseph Sullivan: We are complaining that we have 300,000 miners who cannot get work. So far as I can make out, the Government have no reply, and the Committee itself seems to take no interest whatever in that condition of things. I do not want to argue economics to any great extent, but only to point this moral. If we have 300,000 men fewer employed to-day as compared with 1924, is it not the duty of the...
Mr Joseph Sullivan: Excuse me, but I did not refer to you.
Mr Joseph Sullivan: The Minister in charge challenged the statement of one of my colleagues that the Eight Hours Act was not being observed. I want to suggest to him that, when he learns more of the operations of that Act, he will not make challenges of that kind. If he will go to the inspectors they will tell him. The Eight Hours Act is not being operated and the inspectors know that it is not being operated....