Mr Paul Dean: Like the hon. Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Freeson), I crave the indulgence of the House in speaking here for the first time. May I first say a word about my distinguished predecessor, Sir Edwin Leather, who served in the House for fifteen years. His many friends, both here and outside, will, I am sure, remember his vigorous speeches and the great service which he gave, and, indeed, the...
Mr Paul Dean: asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many of the total number of water undertakings have arrangements for the payment of water rates at council offices; and how many water undertakings are proposing to withdraw such facilities.
Mr Paul Dean: Would the Minister agree that it is highly desirable for people, particularly for old people who usually pay their rates in cash, that these facilities should continue to be available?
Mr Paul Dean: I beg to move Amendment No. 2, in page 2, line 6, at the end to insert: Provided that in section 17(1)(c) of the Insurance Act for the word "fifty" there shall be substituted the word "forty-five".
Mr Paul Dean: The object of this and the other Amendments is to reduce the age at which widows qualify for a permanent pension from the present age of 50 to 45. May I, first, remind the Committee of the position as it is at the moment? Widows without dependent children qualify for a permanent pension if they are widowed before the age of 50, dating from the 1946 Act, and the same applies to the widowed...
Mr Paul Dean: I was referring to the anomaly between the 10s. or 30s. widow and the no-shilling widow.
Mr Paul Dean: I am disappointed with what the right hon. Lady the Minister has said. She accepts many of the points which have been put forward, but is not willing to concede the arguments which have adduced. However, I welcome her assurance that all widows' benefits, and particularly the various ages for the benefits, will have high priority in the review. I wish to make one further comment. It is very...
Mr Paul Dean: I beg to move Amendment No. 5, in page 2, line 26, at the end to insert: (6) In section 4(2) of the Family Allowances and National Insurance Act 1964 (which relaxes the earnings rule in respect of retirement pensions) for the words "one hundred shillings" there shall be substituted the words" one hundred and twenty shillings" and for the words" one hundred and twenty shillings" there shall be...
Mr Paul Dean: I will only detain the Committee for a short time in moving this Amendment, the object of which is to increase the amount which the retirement pensioners can earn, without deduction of earnings, from the present limit of £5 to £6. I have great sympathy with the Amendment which my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Curran) has down which would, in effect, take the bite out of the...
Mr Paul Dean: I beg to move, to leave out "now" and at the end of the Question to add "upon this day six months". This is a Private Bill which has been carried over from the last Parliament, and this is the first occasion on which the House has had an opportunity to consider it in this new Parliament and, indeed, under a new Government. That is one very good reason for this debate today. I hope that the...
Mr Paul Dean: I am grateful to the Minister for what he has said, and also for the help he has given to me and to my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare. I referred to that matter probably just before the hon. Gentleman came into the Chamber, but I am very glad to have that assurance. However, it would be most helpful if he could say a little more about precisely what the assurance involves. What...
Mr Paul Dean: My hon. Friend said that there was an assurance with regard to a local public inquiry. As I understand the position at the moment, subject to anything the Minister may say, the only assurance we have is that there will be a local public inquiry with regard to the design. This is a very narrow point. We have not an assurance with regard to a local public inquiry on the principle.
Mr Paul Dean: I am grateful for the assurance that the Parliamentary Secretary has given. Could he say a little more about what the consultations will amount to? Will the normal planning procedure be put into operation in the consultations with the local planning authorities? It would be most helpful if the hon. Gentleman could say a little more on that.
Mr Paul Dean: asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received the report of the National Ports Council relating to the Bristol Channel area.
Mr Paul Dean: Can the Minister give an assurance that when he does receive this report it will be published so that all those concerned will have an early opportunity of studying it?
Mr Paul Dean: asked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will make a statement on the membership of the Regional Council for the South-West.
Mr Paul Dean: Is the Minister aware that local authorities are particularly disturbed about the planning aspects of the councils and, indeed, of the boards? Can he give an assurance that there is no intention of taking away from the local authorities the powers which they now have over the planning of development in their areas?
Mr Paul Dean: If the hon. Gentleman reads the report of the previous debate in HANSARD, he will find that the arguments which my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Webster) and I put forward on this point were precisely the arguments which my hon. Friend has put forward this evening.
Mr Paul Dean: The arguments which have been advanced by the Minister today have been very similar to those put forward in the last debate. They did not satisfy my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Webster) on that occasion and they do not satisfy us now, either. The essence of the arguments put forward by the Parliamentary Secretary on both occasions has been, broadly, "Do not worry. It is...
Mr Paul Dean: I appreciate my hon. Friend's point. Nevertheless, the Minister could at least have given his views on this matter, for it concerns not so much any misunderstandings there may have been in Committee, but a matter which intimately concerns the Government, because my understanding of it is that the Government, in giving their agreement to the Bill, laid down certain conditions. These were...