Fishings (Hydro-Electric Board)
32.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fishings are owned by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board.
The only fishings of any consequence owned by the Board are the Brahan and Scatwell fishings on the River Conon and the fishings at Invergarry. The Board also own fishing rights in Loch Faskally, the new reservoir at Pitlochry, and six minor fishings.
Will not the Board be owning many more fishings as new schemes develop, and are not these very valuable assets so far as the tourist industry is concerned? Does the hon. Lady know what the Board intends to do about them?
I could not say at this moment how many more the Board will be owning, but from the policy carried out by the Board it is very evident that they realise the importance of these fishings.
Herring Industry (Financial State)
33.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the conflict of opinion expressed by correspondence between the Scottish Herring Producers' Association and the Herring Industry Board, copies of which correspondence have been passed to him, regarding the financial state of the herring trade; and what steps he proposes to take to bring about a united effort on the part of all those engaged in the catching and sale of herring.
I have seen this correspondence. It relates to the Government's refusal of an application for a subsidy, which was made and strongly pressed by the Board on behalf of herring catchers, and to certain measures proposed by the Board and accepted by the Government to improve the general position of the industry. I understand that the Board intend shortly to submit further proposals to the Government.
In view of the high point which this controversy has reached, does not the hon. Gentleman think that perhaps he ought to invite the Herring Producers' Association to meet him and the Board and settle what is, after all, a very important matter, which is causing great trouble?
I think that the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries must accept that the Board is the instrument selected by Parliament to act as its agency, and we have to await the initiative coming from the Herring Industry Board.
Will the hon. Gentleman remind his colleague the Minister of Food that Parliament intended the Herring Industry Board to be its instrument, and that the Ministry of Food should not be interfering all the time in the most deleterious way in the affairs of the Board?
Is the Minister aware that one of the grievances of the herring fishermen in my constituency is that they are liable to the Class Z call-up and that the miners and agricultural workers are not? Will he make representations to his right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour so that the fishermen can be exempted from any call-up of Class Z Reservists?
Do I take it from the hon. Gentleman's answer that he has definitely turned down any suggestion that the Herring Producers' Association should send a deputation to meet him?
Not at all. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the herring producers have been frequently to see my right hon. Friend, but it was the hon. Gentleman who said to me just now, in a supplementary question, that we should arrange for the producers to see the Board and have a meeting with them and the Minister, and I have said in my original answer that I understand that the Herring Board is about to submit further proposals. We shall receive and consider them.
In view of the fact that I have received no reply to my supplementary question, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment.
School Meals
34.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decrease has taken place in the number of meals provided for school children since the charge per meal was increased.
The decrease is about 16,800 meals, or under 6 per cent.
Is my hon. Friend aware that this decrease in the consumption of school meals is causing serious concern among local authorities in Scotland, and will she look into the matter, because it is felt that it is imposing hardship on school children?
I have already gone very closely into this, and I can say that the whole of this decrease cannot be attributed to the rise in the cost of living. At the present time, each meal is subsidised at the rate of 8½d. and when there is more than one child in the family. at more than 8½d.
Retired Teachers (Return To Service)
35.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is prepared to take steps to enable retired teachers, who so desire, to return to duty without loss of pension.
The draft of the Superannuation Scheme, which was published in December, 1949, contains proposals under which the pensions of retired teachers returning to service will be suspended and the teachers may be awarded increased pensions on final retirement and may receive an addition to their lump sums. No objection has beer taken to these proposals.
Is my hon. Friend aware that my information is that there is very serious discontent in the teaching profession in Scotland with regard to the cut in pension which takes place when a teacher resumes teaching, and in view of the shortage of teachers will she look at this matter again?
Can the hon. Lady assure the House that in all cases the salaries paid will exceed the pensions?
I cannot give that assurance.
Unqualified Nurses (Conditions)
36.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the present uncertainty, it is proposed to give any further consideration to the rates of pay and conditions of service of unqualified nursing staff employed in the National Health Service.
I understand that the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council are awaiting a claim from the staff side in respect of unqualified nurses, other than those in mental hospitals who have already been dealt with by the Council.
Is the hon. Lady aware that the unqualified nurses will be very gratified with her reply, because they have been waiting so long and were beginning to feel that they were nobody's babies? Will the Minister ensure that the question of retrospective payment is considered?
I am afraid that at the present time I cannot give them that assurance. The decision is made by the Whitley Council, on which the staff side is represented.
Fish Canning (Tinplate Supplies)
37.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he has sent to the Scottish Herring Producers Association in response to the appeal in connection with tinplate supplies contained in their letter to him of 7th February.
Although tinplate is in very short supply and many industries are having to accept cuts in their allocations, it is hoped to allocate to the fish canners the same supplies as in 1950. The canners have been told this and invited to get in touch with the Ministry of Food at once should they run into any difficulties. My right hon. Friend is writing to the Association accordingly, and is sending the hon. Member a copy of his letter.
Is not this a matter for the Herring Industry Board to take up with the canners, and not for the Government? Why is the Board excluded? Why must it be done by the Ministry of Food?
I should have thought it fairly obvious that the canners should get into touch with the Ministry of Food, and not with the Herring Industry Board.
Is the Minister not aware that a very small reduction in the amount of the tinplate we are now exporting would satisfy the requirements of the canners in this country?
Silage Making
38.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to encourage the making of silage in Northern Scotland.
I can assure the hon. Member that very active steps to encourage silage making are being taken both in Northern Scotland and elsewhere.
In view of the importance of this matter, could the Under-Secretary of State give us more information about what the steps are?
Certainly. The North of Scotland College, for example, have arranged lectures and demonstrations, and there are exhibition films and feeding trials. I believe that the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society have arranged a special exhibit for June next. There has been a great increase in silage making in Scotland in recent years. There has not been the same increase in Orkney and Shetland, but I hope that the position will improve there.
Highland Transport Costs
39.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take, in view of the recommendations of the Cameron Committee, to alleviate the burden of transport costs in the Highlands.
The recommendations of the Cameron Committee relating to transport costs are primarily matters for the British Transport Commission. I understand that the Commission have informed the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) that the recommendations will be considered in connection with the charges schemes now being drafted which will be submitted to the Transport Tribunal in due course.
Is the hon. Lady aware that the charges scheme will not be out till late this year and that in the meantime the burden is continuing? Is she further aware that the Cameron Committee recommended that there should be a deliberate policy of decreasing the charges? Will she ask her right hon. Friend to consult the Minister of Transport and to try to get a policy which will help the Highlands now?
All the suggestions have been forwarded to the only body which can consider them at the present time, and we must await the decision made by that body.
Can the hon. Lady say whether the Cameron Committee's Report has been published, and if not, whether it will be published soon, because we get many inquiries in this matter, and the Committee's recommendations may go a long way to help organisations in the North of Scotland?
I will make inquiries.
Wool Clip (Prices)
40.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average price per pound paid by his Department for the 1950 Scotch wool clip; and what selling price was obtained by his Department.
The overall average price paid for the 1950 clip in the United Kingdom was 27.05d. per pound. As the hon. and gallant Member knows, in accordance with the wool marketing scheme approved by Parliament last year, the clip is now being sold by auction under the authority of the British Wool Marketing Board. Prices have increased greatly in recent months and the latest figures range from 126d. to 153d. per pound.
If this money is not being used for an equalisation fund, is it not obvious that a large profit is being made by the Government by monopolistic control and that the cost of living is thereby increased, while the difficulties of cloth manufacturers in the Highlands and Islands are being made much more severe?
The hon. and gallant Member must not have heard me correctly. The wool is being sold by the British Wool Marketing Board, which is not an instrument of the Government but an instrument of the producers. If a profit is being made, it is being made by them.