Written Answers
Royal Navy (Dockyards, Employment)
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of men in employment in each of the Royal Dockyards for the quarter ended December, 1930?
The numbers of industrial workpeople borne in the Vote 8 (Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing) Departments of His Majesty's Dockyards during the last week in December, 1930, were:
| Portsmouth | 10,807 |
| Devonport | 9,922 |
| Chatham | 7,420 |
| Sheerness | 1,822 |
| Rosyth | 202 |
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of men, established and hired, respectively, employed in Devonport Dockyard in each of the months since June, 1930?
The numbers of work-people employed on the undermentioned dates were:
| — | Established. | Hired. | Total. |
| 29the November, 1930 | 2,917 | 7,153 | 10,070 |
| 27the December, 1930 | 2,907 | 7,015 | 9,922 |
The figures relate to Vote 8 (Ship-building and Ship Repairing) Departments, and are in correspondence with those given for the previous four months in reply to the hon. Member's question on 14th November, 1930.
Postal Facilities, Ashmore Green
asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the application of Mr. Piper, Cold Ash, near Newbury, to establish a post office there; and, in view of the increase in the inhabitants in that district, whether he will accede to his request?
An application from Mr. Piper for the establishment of a sub-post office at Ashmore Green was considered in October, 1929, but as there was already a post office at Cold Ash, less than a mile distant, his request could not be entertained. I am informed that there has been no change in the circumstances since 1929 which would warrant the opening of a post office at Ashmore Green.
Auxiliary Military Force, Northern Ireland
asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers and other ranks in the Militia or other auxiliary forces, specifying the number serving in each arm in the area of what is now Northern Ireland on 1st August, 1914, or the next convenient date before 1st August, 1914?
On 1st August, 1914, the only auxiliary military force stationed in the area which is now Northern Ireland was the Special Reserve, the strength of which was:
| — | Officers. | Other Ranks. |
| North Irish Horse | 21 | 435 |
| Artillery | 25 | 382 |
| Infantry | 85 | 2,847 |
Jam Manufacturers
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that confidence in manufactured jams has been shaken in regard to the fruit content and owing to foreign fruit-pulp used; whether he will induce the manufacturers to make public their standard in regard to pure jam and jam; and whether it is his intention to establish a national mark for jam?
I have no power to require jam manufacturers to declare the contents of their product, but they have recently published agreed voluntary standards for "first quality" and "second quality" jams respectively. If there is any lack of confidence, a national mark scheme for jam produced from home-grown fruit would no doubt be helpful. So far, however, the manufacturers have been unwilling to assist in preparing such a scheme and I am advised that an amendment of the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1928, would be necessary to enable me to proceed further. Proposals with this end in view are under consideration.
Unemployment
State Assisted Schemes, Tyneside Area
asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons at present directly engaged in the Tyneside area on work on all schemes approved on or after 1st June, 1929, and the cost of these schemes?
Returns received show that on 19th December, 1930, there were 1,458 men directly employed on State-assisted schemes then in operation in the Tyneside area, which had been approved since 1st June, 1929. The cost of the schemes is estimated at approximately £800,000.
Woolwich Arsenal (Discharges)
asked the Minister of Labour how many of the 135 employés of the Woolwich Arsenal, 21 years of age and under, who have recently been discharged have been found employment through the Employment Exchange; and whether any of them have been found work in connection with any grant-aided schemes in the area?
Of the 135 discharged and 55 resigned to whom I referred in my reply to the right hon. Member on 4th December, 48 have been placed in employment by the Woolwich Employment Exchange, and in some cases where the employment proved to be of short duration they have been placed two or three times. In one ease (that of a married man) the employment was on a local grant-aided scheme, preference for which is given to married men or men with dependants.
Sunday Observance Acts
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the state of the law in giving to local authorities the power to control sports and pastimes on Sundays, he will agree to refer the matter to a Select Committee to investigate and report upon the same with a view to amending the present law?
The hon. Member has been good enough to explain to me that his question refers to the Sunday Observance Act, 1625, which prohibits any meeting, assembly or concourse of people out of their own parishes on the Lord's Day for any sports or pastimes whatever, and has drawn my attention to the fact that this Act prohibits a Sunday cricket match between two parishes although it does not apparently render the playing of cricket on Sunday in itself illegal. I agree that this position is anomalous, but as the hon. Member is aware any general review of the Sunday Observance Acts must involve a number of questions which are acutely controversial, and I am not at present in a position to make any statement of policy. The matter is, however, receiving the earnest attention of the Government.
asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the protests recently made by ministers of religion and others regarding the formation of a dirt track for motor-cycle racing and riding adjacent to the main road from Cambridge to St. Neots, and which it is proposed shall be open for racing and riding on Sundays; and whether he will take steps to amend the existing law so that dirt-track racing and riding on Sundays shall not be carried on against the general consent of persons residing in the district or county in which the dirt track is located, and that on weekdays such shall only be carried on under a licence granted by the local authority, subject to such terms and conditions as shall be imposed to avoid a nuisance and annoyance to those residing in or near the locality?
I have received no protests with regard to this track. Having regard to the controversial issues which would be involved the Government is not able at present to undertake legislation on the matter referred to.