Mr James Reid: I beg to move in page 7, line 44, to leave out from "of," to the end of the line. Clause 7 as it stands allows prosecutions in England and Wales by a constable by or with the consent of the Minister of Fuel and Power or the Director of Public Prosecutions. The purpose of this Amendment is to leave out the Minister of Fuel and Power. The Committee will see that the limitation is to England...
Mr James Reid: Is it not a fact that the Department have cut off all supplies of this meat in cases where the prewar use was less than one ton a week? In view of the fact that more small men were engaged in this trade in Scotland than in England, has that not had a most unfortunate effect on the Scottish trade?
Mr James Reid: asked the Minister of Food what was the total quantity of meat, excluding offal, used for human consumption in the United Kingdom during the last month for which particulars are available; how much of this was required to meet the basic domestic ration; and how much was used for manufacturing.
Mr James Reid: I see that the Deputy-Leader of the House is present. I trust that he will take his place at the Box to say that something is holding up the Minister who is to attend this Debate, and that we shall have some responsible person here to reply to the Debate. This is a most important matter, and I hope the Deputy-Leader of the House is in a position to give that assurance to the House. The right...
Mr James Reid: It is monstrous.
Mr James Reid: Further to that point, could I ask whether there is no telephone between here and the Ministry of Health? It was obvious that this matter was going to be reached at half-past seven. What has happened?
Mr James Reid: If I am fortunate enough to catch your eye, Sir, after the Parliamentary Secretary has spoken, I can assure him that the point will be elaborated.
Mr James Reid: It seems to me that the behaviour of the Government on this Prayer tonight has been very strange. It would have been strange had this been a matter of merely minor or local importance, but when we take into account that, next to the medical service, the setting up of a dental service is one of the most important and difficult steps in the whole sphere of social progress and security, I can...
Mr James Reid: I think a great deal depends on the spirit in which one approaches the dentists, and the right hon. Gentleman the Minister of Health has made perfectly obvious tonight the spirit in which he approaches his duties. It is not surprising that that spirit does not lead to success.
Mr James Reid: I quite agree that there has been contact, but not co-operation. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health has told us that it is not the intention of the Government to interfere unduly between the dentist and his patients. We do think that this scheme does represent undue interference and, indeed, it was made quite clear by the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Baird)—the...
Mr James Reid: I see the hon. Gentleman shakes his head, and, therefore, there can be no value whatever in these preliminary examinations, unless it appears on the face of the document that there is something unusual about the case. If, for example, the instructions—they must be instructions if these are not qualified people—allow from two to five guineas, or from three to five guineas, for the...
Mr James Reid: The hon. Gentleman has shown that these regulations are at best ambiguous, and at worst against him. But I do not intend to pursue that matter further. This is an important service, and if he has not the technical facilities in his Department to enable him to produce a more workmanlike document than this, it is high time he had.
Mr James Reid: In any event the matter is at the best ambiguous, and it would be much better if a more intelligible document had been put before the House. It is very odd, if one comes to look at this. The items marked with a dagger may he commenced without prior approval but how far can one carry them without prior approval?
Mr James Reid: I have been challenged about being rude about the drafting, and I intend to show that I was justified.
Mr James Reid: I am not dealing with the contents, but with the manner in which it is presented. (I). Removal of impacted teeth. At what stage has one to stop that operation and ask for approval? That is not the only item on which the language is plainly absurd.
Mr James Reid: Let me revert to the regulations. I do not think the hon. Gentleman has anywhere met my hon. Friend's points, but there is not any good in my making them again, because he did not meet them the first time and he will not meet them the second time. It is quite clear that the general public have got into their heads expectations with regard to the immediate benefits of this scheme which...
Mr James Reid: We all agree now that changes in the procedure of this House are necessary in order that there may be further opportunities for the discussion of Scottish Business, and that these new Standing Orders go a very long way at least to meet the situation. We on this side of the House proposed a large part of these Orders originally. We proposed them in the form of Sessional Orders, because in our...
Mr James Reid: Not only the arrangements of the Officers of the House, but the arrangements of hon. Members—in particular the need for Scottish Members to be available in this House throughout its Sittings—in my view preclude any use of this new procedure at any other time than in the forenoon. I hope, therefore, that the right hon. Gentleman will make it quite clear that he will not support any...
Mr James Reid: On the political side, we believe that the integrity of the Union of our two countries is the foundation stone of international co-operation and of co-operation in the Commonwealth and Empire. If we removed that foundation stone our chances of that co-operation which we all agree is necessary to achieve peace in the present disturbed period of world history would be very seriously impaired....
Mr James Reid: This new Clause was put down only a couple of days ago, so that we have not had a chance of putting anything on the Order Paper by way of Amendment. Per- haps the right hon. and learned Gentleman will consider this. Under Clause 14 (1, b) an additional provision may be put in, or an existing provision may be modified. At line 25 the words are: but it contains no provision for certain...
