Written Answers
Transport
By-Pass Road Schemes
asked the Minister of Transport the names of towns with narrow streets with regard to which he has schemes at present under consideration for the construction of by-pass roads?
There are a large number of schemes for the construction of by-passes either in progress or under consideration, and if the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars concerning any towns that he may have in mind, I shall be pleased to give him any information I can.
Road Reconstruction, Cornwall
asked the Minister of Transport how many men will be employed, and for how long, on the Cornwall County Council road reconstruction from Scorrier Fork to Mitchell; and what is the total estimated cost and the expenditure estimated to be incurred, respectively, on the acquisition of land and/or other compensation to owners or occupiers for severance, disturbance, easements and the like, on wages, and material?
It is estimated that approximately 2,520 men months of employment will be provided on the work. The total estimated cost is about £105,000, of which the acquisition of land, compensation for severance and the like represents £3,100. Constructional works (including wages and material) account for the remainder.
Dock Extension, Hull
asked the Minister of Transport what is the position of the negotiations about the extension of the King George Dock, Hull; and, in view of the need for this extension, costing about £1,400,000, which the railway company owning the docks hesitate to spend, will he take steps to have the matter quickly settled?
The railway company communicated with the Development (Public Utility) Advisory Committee with regard to this scheme nearly a year ago, but in reply to recent inquiries made by the committee, the company have stated that they are not yet in a position to say whether they will be able to proceed with the work in the near future.
Road Schemes, Carmarthenshire
asked the Minister of Transport what is the reason for the delay in commencing work on the road schemes passed by the Carmarthenshire County Council two months ago?
I am afraid that I cannot identify the road schemes to which my hon. Friend refers as having been passed two months ago by the Carmarthenshire County Council, but if he will be good enough to give me further information, I will have inquiries made.
Post Office
Staff, Carnarvonshire
asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of full-time, and the number of part-time, staff of all grades employed by the Post Office in the county of Carnarvon; and what was the expenditure on their salaries, wages, and allowances for the last financial year?
Completely accurate figures are not available, as the Post Office districts do not correspond with the county boundaries, but the numbers are approximately as follow:
| Number of full-time staff | 550 |
| Number of part-time staff (including sub-postmasters) | 400 |
| Expenditure on salaries, etc., during the year 1929–30 | £128,500 |
Telephones, Bosworth Division
asked the Postmaster-General the number of villages in the Bosworth Division of Leicestershire in which a public telephone has been installed since July, 1929?
The number is 10.
Royal Navy
Wines And Spirits, Officers' Messes
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will provide a statement showing, for the latest convenient period of 12 months, the approximate total sum that would have had to be paid in Customs Duty if the wines and spirits, exclusive of the spirit ration, embarked and consumed in His Majesty's ships had been subject to such duty?
The estimated amounts of duty in respect of wines and spirits allowed by the Customs to be shipped free of duty for officers' messes on His Majesty's ships for the year ended 31st December, 1930, are as follow:
| £ | ||||
| Wine | … | … | … | 6,500 |
| Spirits | … | … | … | 78,500 |
Meat Supply
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much home-fed beef was supplied to the forces situated in Britain during the months of October to March during the past two years?
80,569 and 73,424 lbs. respectively.
Flour Supply
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty approximately how much flour was used for the forces situated in Britain during the six months after harvest in 1929 and 1928, respectively?
The quantity of flour used for naval personnel stationed on shore at home and in home waters, including the Atlantic Fleet, was approximately 5,500,00 pounds for each of the two periods in question.
Lieutenant-Commanders (Ex-Mate)
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) and lieutenant-commanders (E) (ex-mate E) in the zone for promotion to commander on 31st December, 1930; the number promoted; and the number of ex-mates and ex-mates (E) of commander rank now serving on the active list?
The answer to the first part of the question is 25 and 64 respectively, to the second part one and four respectively, and to the third part six and 24 respectively
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, observing that the ex-cadet officers affected by the recently announced special retirement scheme are, approximately, between the ages of 28 and 38, he will consider the exemption of the 20 lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) over the age of 40, by virtue of their greater age, length of service, and the fact that at the expiration of the scheme in two years' time they will be within three years, or less, of their maximum retired pay?
There is no intention of applying the scheme compulsorily to these officers. As stated in my reply of 11th February [OFFICIAL REPORT, column 418], they can take advantage of it if they wish to do so.
Beet Sugar
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the quantity of beet sugar from British beet factories placed on the British market in 1928?
The quantity of sugar manufactured from home-grown beet and retained for home consumption on which duty was paid in the year ended 31st December, 1928, was 3,723,438 cwts.
Development Schemes, Somerset
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of schemes sanctioned under the Development (Loans, Guarantees, and Grants)
| Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act, 1929. | |||
| Part I. | |||
| Schemes approved in respect of the Administrative County of Somerset. | |||
| Authority or Company. | Scheme. | Total cost. | |
| £ | |||
| Great Western Railway (Taunton) | Station Reconstruction | … | 451,000 |
| *(Wellington, Newton Abbot) | Quadrupling of Lines | … | 186,000 |
| Wellington (Somerset) Gas Company | Gas Purifiers | … | 3,557 |
| Taunton Gas Company | Relaying of Mains | … | 3,609 |
| Extension of Mains | … | 722 | |
| 5 schemes totalling | … | £644,888 | |
| * Partly in administrative County of Somerset. | |||
British Army
Pay
asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of the pay of officers and men of the Army, respectively, is based upon the cost-of-living index; what percentage reduction of standard rates is now in force; and whether he is satisfied that the cost-of-living index is a fair criterion of living costs as applicable to the personnel of the Army?
Under Article 2 (a) of the Royal Warrant for pay, 20 per cent. of the standard pay of officers is subject to revision in relation to variations in the cost-of-living since July, 1919. The pay of other ranks is not liable to any revision. A reduction of 7 per cent. is at present applied to standard rates of officers' pay. This will become 8 per cent. as from 1st July, 1931. It is not suggested that the Ministry of Labour Index provides an exact measure of the cost of living of Army officers, but, as stated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour in answer to a question by the hon. Member on Thursday last the information necessary to the compilation of a separate series of index numbers, appropriate to classes of Government employés of a non-industrial type, is not available.
Act, 1929, for the administrative county of Somerset, the names of the statutory authorities, and the cost of the schemes?
Following is the information desired:
Educational Corps (Reorganisation)
asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the services rendered to education by this organisation, he will make a declaration of the policy of His Majesty's Government in regard to the future of the establishment of the Army Educational Corps?
pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 22nd January, 1931; col. 372, Vol. 247], supplied the following statement:
Reorganisation of the Army Educational Corps.
1. The Army Educational Corps, consisting of officers, warrant officers and non-commissioned officers, was formed after the War in replacement of the Corps of Army Schoolmasters to provide increased facilities for the adult education of the soldier and (with the aid of Army schoolmistresses for girls' and infants' and junior boys' classes) to teach the children of soldiers in Army schools where civilian schools are not available. So far as adult education is concerned the system afford the soldier opportunity for progressive education up to that qualifying for a special certificate (university matriculation standard). The standard of attainment in Army children's schools is on a par with that in civil schools.
As regards the allotment of duties in the Corps, broadly speaking the officers of the Corps are engaged in the general organisation, inspection, administration and supervision of educational training in the Commands and in the inspection and administration of all Army children's schools; and in giving instruction at the Army schools of education and at certain other educational establishments, while up till now they have also performed some of the general teaching duties. The remainder of the teaching is carried out by warrant officers and sergeants of the Corps (aided so far as certain work is concerned by regimental officers, warrant officers and non-commissioned officers).
The present reorganisation of the Corps, while maintaining the general principles on which the work has been based has two main objects in view:
( a) To improve the prospects of the personnel of the Corps. Since the Corps was originally formed there has been a
| A.—Present Establishment. | ||||||||||||
| — | Lieut.-Colonels. | Majors. | Captains. | Subalterns. | Total Officers. | Warrant Officers, Class I. | Warrant Officers, Class II. | Serjeants. | Total other ranks. | |||
| Imperial | … | … | … | 4 | 10 | 33 | 55 | 102 | 47 | 68 | 150 | 265 |
| India | … | … | … | 1 | 5 | 14 | 31 | 51 | 41 | 29 | 55 | 125 |
| Total | … | … | … | 5 | 15 | 47 | 86 | 153 | 88 | 97 | 205 | 390 |
| B.—Future Establishment. | |||||||||||
| — | Colonels. | Lieut.-Colonels. | Majors. | Captains and Subalterns. | Education Officers. | Total Officers. | Warrant Officers Class I. | Warrant Officers Class II. | Serjeants. | Total other ranks. | |
| Imperial | … | 1 | 3 | 7 | 55 | 6 | 72 | 53 | 73 | 167 | 293 |
| India* | … | 1 | — | 3 | 24 | — | 28 | 41 | 29 | 55 | 125 |
| Total | … | 2 | 3 | 10 | 79 | 6 | 100 | 94 | 102 | 222 | 418 |
* Does not include the Indian Continuous Service Cadre of the Army Educational Corps which is to consist at present of 2 Majors, 12 Captains and Subalterns, increasing eventually to a probable total of 18 or 19 officers. | |||||||||||
steady reduction in its strength accompanied by great stagnation in promotion, and the lack of prospects has given rise to considerable dissatisfaction.
( b) To relieve the officers, normally, of all teaching duties, except for the instruction given at the Army Schools of Education and certain other educational establishments.
In the scheme of reorganisation the establishment of officers has been considerably reduced, the work of inspection and supervision being re-arranged. For the reduced establishment substantially better prospects are offered, both by the introduction of time promotion (for subalterns) and by increasing the emoluments of certain posts to correspond more fairly with the responsibilities now involved. On the other hand the actual teaching staff of warrant officers and non-commissioned officers has been increased, and additional opportunities have been afforded to them of promotion to commissioned rank. The reorganisation involves no extra cost to the State.
4. The present and future establishments of the Corps are as follow:
As the strength of the officers of the Corps has for some time past been considerably under establishment, the number of officers rendered surplus by the reorganisation is only some 14 and these officers are being retired with special compensation terms.
5. The scheme provides for the improvements shown below in the pay and conditions of service of the personnel of the reorganised Corps (the provisions of this paragraph do not apply to officers of the Continuous Service Cadre in India referred to in paragraph 7, except where stated in that paragraph).
6. Army Educational Corps officers serving on a tour in India will receive the rates of pay applicable to regimental officers of the British service in India, plus a Departmental allowance varying according to rank. Holders of certain appointments will receive appropriate rates of additional pay over and above the foregoing emoluments.
7. In addition to the Army Educational Corps officers serving on a tour, the Secretary of State for India has sanctioned the formation of a continuous service cadre of the Army Educational Corps in India. The promotion of officers appointed to this cadre will be governed by the rules approved for officers of the Army Educational Corps, i.e., they will receive time promotion to the rank of captain and thereafter promotion pari passu with officers of the Army Educational Corps. The pay of officers of this special cadre will be at the rates applicable to Army Educational Corps officers serving on a tour in India, with Indian Army allowance in addition.
8. The new conditions will take effect from 1st February, 1931, for all officers selected for retention on the British establishment of the reorganised Corps. The date for the introduction of the new conditions for officers of the Indian establishment will be announced shortly.
Vaccination
asked the Minister of Health the number of children compulsorily vaccinated and the number for whom exemption was claimed during 1930?
I regret that these particulars are not yet available.
Birdcage Walk (Seats)
asked the First, Commissioner of Works why the new seats in Birdcage Walk are made of Russian timber?
The seats are made of teak imported from Burma.
Joinery And Cabinet Making (Employment)
asked the Minister of Labour the number of men trained as joiners and found jobs in the building industry during 1930; what is the rate of wages paid to these men; what was the average number of joiners unemployed in the building industry during that year; and if she can give similar information with regard to cabinet makers in the furnishing trade?
The total numbers of men who were given preliminary training in joinery and cabinet making and placed in employment in the building industry and the furnishing trade respectively during 1930 were 456 and 271. With few exceptions the hourly wages at which the men were placed varied from 10d. to 1s, 1d. and over, or the weekly equivalent. The commencing rate of wages varies with the age and proficiency of the individual trainee. It is expected that the trainee will normally be given an opportunity of acquiring more knowledge of his trade and that his wages will be increased as he gains experience and becomes more proficient. The average number of carpenters and joiners unemployed in the building industry during 1930 was 15,480, representing a 12.8 percentage of unemployment in the industry. The corresponding figure for cabinet makers is not available.