Sir Ian Fraser: I should have been aware of that, perhaps. The Piercy Committee stresses the importance of what it calls a joint conference between doctors, employers of labour and representatives of the trade unions, considering a man's case at the time when he comes out of hospital, discussing with him what he can do and how best he can be fitted in. The placing of disabled persons is an individual job,...
Sir Ian Fraser: asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation in how many night road accidents in the past twelve months the presence of unlighted vehicles on the road has been a contributory factor; and whether he is satisfied with the present regulations and their observance.
Sir Ian Fraser: May I draw my hon. Friend's attention to the last line of the Question, which asks whether the Minister is satisfied with the observance of the regulations?
Sir Ian Fraser: Can you guide me, Mr. Speaker, whether it is proper to adduce an argument to try to make you change your mind in this matter—[HON. MEMBERS: "Yes."] If it is, I wish to catch your eye.
Sir Ian Fraser: asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if the Lancashire County Council has yet submitted to him, for his confirmation or otherwise, an order prohibiting the use of the Broughton—Torver road or any other relevant stretches of road by certain public service vehicles; whether they have asked him to institute a public inquiry; and what are his proposals in this matter.
Sir Ian Fraser: May I ask my hon. Friend to explain to his Minister that there is a good deal more in this than meets the eye, and suggest that he had better have a very good lock at it?
Sir Ian Fraser: I am glad the Government have given two days to this Second Reading debate, because this is our most fundamental industry——
Sir Ian Fraser: That shows very good sense, does it not? I am glad that Parliament is devoting two days to this debate because, after all, this is our most important industry and we must remember that agriculture is not merely an important contribution to our food and security but also to the variety and balance of our economy. I welcomed the attitude of the hon. Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Gooch), the...
Sir Ian Fraser: Of course it should, but it did no more than make de jure the previous de facto method invented by Lord Woolton and Mr. Hudson. That is a fact, and all credit to the right hon. Gentleman who, as junior Minister to them, helped them to do it. We ought to make it clear that Part II of the 1947 Act is not being removed by this Bill but being amended, so I will use the word "amended". The...
Sir Ian Fraser: He certainly gave that impresssion. However, many hon. Members opposite do not approve the Franks Report in many of its aspects because it tries to give the individual a little more freedom and a little more fairness and tries to get a little further away from the bureaucratic control of Whitehall, the civil servant and the Minister. I am one of those who believes that the powers of...
Sir Ian Fraser: Will the hon. Member give way?
Sir Ian Fraser: That is very noble of the hon. Member. I did not say anything of the kind. I said that the fact that the total amount of money spent on agriculture by the nation had gone down a decimal point was probably accounted for by the fact that some of the big trade unions, like the National Union of Mineworkers, had taken a very great deal out. I did not say that they should not have it—but the...
Sir Ian Fraser: asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers and men in uniform and the number of civilians employed by his Department in 1937 and in 1957.
Sir Ian Fraser: Can my right hon. Friend say whether those figures were obtained after he had combed out the "tail" in his recent combing, and why he wants so many more civilians now to do the same job as that done twenty years ago?
Sir Ian Fraser: What about the second part of my supplementary question?
Sir Ian Fraser: Why does the Minister ignore the second part of my question? I asked why he needs more "tail" now than twenty years ago.
Sir Ian Fraser: asked the Minister of Health how many foreigners not normally resident in this country came to Great Britain for a short time and had substantial medical, surgical, or dental treatment unconnected with a sudden accident or illness, during the last year for which records are available.
Sir Ian Fraser: Will my right hon. and learned Friend note that my Question does not show ungenerosity towards those who come to these shores and get in trouble? Will my right hon. and learned Friend reconsider whether some kind of check cannot be made to see whether our generosity is being abused? It would be monstrous if our people had to pay more for their National Health Service simply and solely on...
Sir Ian Fraser: Did not the right hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths), who is sitting beside the right hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Creech Jones), start this Federation job?
Sir Ian Fraser: I would like to express the thanks of the House, and certainly those of my constituents, to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) and to the hon. Member for Greenock (Dr. Dickson Mabon) for the reasonable way in which they have brought this matter to the notice of the House. If the doctor will allow me to say so, I thought his broadcast last Saturday on "The Week in Westminister"...