Mr Michael Beaumont: That is not waste, but it is wasteful to give money in the form of benefit that might be spent in giving them work.
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: The right hon. Gentleman is quite unfair. Let me give one example. In 1938, 222,223 cwts, of cod were imported. In 1949 the figure was 1,321,490—six times as much. I could give all the figures.
Mr Michael Foot: I do not know whether my hon. Friend is anticipating the point I am going to make. The point on which I wish to have a reply from the Financial Secretary—[HON. MEMBERS: "Give way."] Certainly; I will give way to my hon. Friend.
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: There are so many sites, and I have given the figures. There are more than 100, and I could not give the exact figure without notice, but if the hon. Gentleman gives me notice I will do so.
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: May we have this quite clear? The hon. Gentleman has been asked whether he can give an assurance that local education authorities will be not less favourably treated than they are now. He has been asked that, and is he telling us that he cannot at least at this moment give that assurance?
Mr Michael Foot: If the hon. Gentleman will give me an undertaking that when I give him the information about the restrictions he will remove them, I shall be gratified.
Mr Michael Noble: Quite frankly, one cannot give a firm figure until all the appeals are settled, but the House would find it rather boring if Ministers said that they could not give a firm figure until all the appeals were settled, and I am sure that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary did his best to help the House.
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: The right hon. and learned Gentleman must give us a little more time. However, I think that I have covered most of what has been said. I should like to study the report of what the hon. Gentleman has said to see whether I can give him further information on a suitable occasion.
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: I really cannot give way again. What I believe would be morally right now is an agreement by both sides to stop all their military operations and come to the conference table. Is anyone going to say that that is morally wrong? I will give way now to ray hon. Friend.
Mr Michael Foot: I will give way when I want to. I have said that I will give way to the hon. Member. I am very glad to see him here. [Interruption.]
Dr Michael Winstanley: asked the Minister of Health if he will give guidance to general practitioners on the interpretation of their terms of service with regard to refusals to give family planning advice or to issue National Health Service prescriptions for the contraceptive pill when there is a medical need for family planning.
Mr Michael Alison: Then is it appropriate that the new Clause should have this permissive wording: The Minister may give to the Corporation directions", because he is bound to give the Corporation directions. The original provision in the Bill which the new Clause replaces was mandatory as opposed to permissive.
Mr Michael Hutchison: As the Government agreed to give time for the Sexual Offences (No. 2) Bill, which was very contentious, will they now give time for the Livestock Export Control Bill, which has all-party support and has great support in the country?
Dr Michael Winstanley: Will the right hon. Gentleman give further consideration to discussing with the Chancellor of the Exchequer methods of applying a differential duty as between cigarettes and pipes and cigars, to encourage people at least to give up cigarette smoking and to take up in preference cigar and pipe smoking?
Mr Michael English: I entirely accept your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, but I believe that it should not go on record that Mr. Speaker is directed to give no reason. Mr. Speaker is not obliged to give any reason, which is a slightly different matter.
Mr Michael Noble: I cannot give way to two hon. Members at once. I will give way to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes).
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: I can give the undertaking for which the right hon. Gentleman asks. I would doubt the wisdom of my trying to give to the House a summary of the whole Mediator's Report and the draft Treaty, but it is available to hon. Members. In any case, it is something that the Government are still studying.
Dr Michael Winstanley: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that doubt and uncertainty about these matters is leading to a serious degree of resentment and frustration in the nursing profession? Will he endeavour to give the matter special attention so that he can give speedy answers to this question and end this uncertainty among nurses?
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: No, I think not. [HON. MEMBERS: "Give way."] It may be possible for me to give way later, but to do so just at the beginning breaks the line of argument. [Interruption.]
Mr Michael Maitland Stewart: Before giving an absolute 100 per cent. answer to that I should like to look more closely into it. We are giving very considerable help to Gibraltar, and we shall do our best to see that they can maintain their position.