Written Answers
Milk (Special Designations) Order
asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the wide differences in the way in which the Accredited Herd Scheme is being administered by the licensing authorities, he will issue instructions designed to secure uniformity in the administration of the new Milk (Special Designations) Order by county and county borough councils?
I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Assheton) on this subject on the 30th April, of which I am sending him a copy. I will also send him a copy of the circular mentioned in that answer, in which attention is drawn to the principles by which local authorities should be guided in granting licences.
Post Office (Air Mails)
asked the Postmaster-General the total number of air-mail letter boxes that have been erected to date in London and the provinces of Great Britain?
There are 139 special air-mail letter boxes in London and 174 in the provinces.
Mercantile Marine (Crew Accommodation)
asked the President of the Board of Trade the progress made in the discussions between his Department and the Shipping Federation regarding crew accommodation on board ship?
I would refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to a question by the hon. Member for Whitechapel (Mr. J. H. Hall) on 5th May.
Income Tax (Multiple Stores)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the large profits made by the big multiple-shop and chain-stores companies, and the fact that, unlike their individual competitors, they do not pay any Super-tax, he will consider the advisability of imposing a corporation or some similar tax on such companies?
I regret that I am unable to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.
Hydrocarbon Oils (Duty)
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the quantities of each of the categories of hydrocarbon oils retained for home consumption during the year ended 31st March, 1936; and what were the net receipts of duty in respect thereof?
The quantities of each category of hydrocarbon oils retained for home consumption, and the respective net receipts of duty derived therefrom, during the year ended 31st March, 1936 (rounded off to the nearest thousand gallons or thousand pounds) were, approximately, as follow:—
| — | Approximate Quantity retained for Home Consumption. | Approximate Net Receipts. |
Light Oils (Customs). | Gallons. | £ |
| Petroleum Spirit: | ||
| Motor Spirit | 1,220,283,000 | 40,676,000 |
| Other Spirit | 20,675,000 | 689,000 |
| Coal Tar Products: | ||
| Benzol | 267,000 | 9,000 |
| Naphtha | 2,000 | — |
| Other Sorts | — | — |
| Turpentine | 4,756,000 | 159,000 |
| Heavy oils for mixing with light oils. | 6,000 | — |
| Other Hydrocarbon Oils. | 18,000 | 1,000 |
| Oil in composite articles. | 128,000 | 4,000 |
| Total | 1,246,135,000 | 41,538,000 |
Deduct Net amount paid to Isle of Man. (a) | — | 49,000 |
| Net Receipts | — | 41,489,000 |
Heavy Oils
| ||
Excise.—Taxed stocks on 25th April, 1933. (b) | 197,000 | 1,000 |
Customs.
| ||
| Petroleum Oil: | ||
| Road Fuel Oil (c) | 26,054,000 | 868,000 |
| Other Fuel Oil | 279,464,000 | 1,164,000 |
| Crude Oil | 2,536,000 | 11,000 |
| Kerosene (d) | 195,559,000 | 815,000 |
| Lubricating Oil | 101,289,000 | 422,000 |
| Gas Oil | 74,978,000 | 312,000 |
| Other Sorts | 7,817,000 | 33,000 |
| Coal Tar Products | 55,000 | — |
| Other Oils | 174,000 | 1,000 |
| Oil in composite articles. | 1,906,000 | 8,000 |
| Total Customs.. | 689,832,000 | 3,634,000 |
| Total Customs and Excise. | 690,029,000 | 3,635,000 |
| Grand Total | — | 45,124,000 |
| (a)Estimated difference between amounts collected in and allocated to the Isle of Man. | ||
| (b) Details under the various descriptions are not available. The duty shown represents arrears paid during the year ended 31st March, 1936, in respect of quantities cleared for consumption in earlier years. | ||
| (c) Not separately distinguished prior to 8th August, 1935 | ||
| (d) Previously described as "Lamp Oil." | ||
Unemployment
Assistance Board
asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to receive the first annual report of the Unemployment Assistance Board; and whether it will be available before the new regulations are considered by Parliament?
My right hon. Friend expects to receive this report at an early date. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative.
Royal Dockyards Workers (Insurance)
asked the Minister of Labour whether he has given any further consideration to the possibility of bringing within the scope of unemployment insurance persons on the established lists of His Majesty's dockyards and naval establishments; and, if not, whether he will consider an alternative scheme for returning to them the total value of their contributions at such date as they may be placed on such lists?
I propose to refer this matter to the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee for advice so soon as, in view of their other commitments, they are in a position to deal with it.
asked the Minister of Labour whether he has yet been able to obtain any information as to the total number of established industrial workmen employed in His Majesty's dockyards and naval establishments who have contributed to unemployment insurance, and the total amount contributed by them to the Unemployment Insurance Fund?
I regret that this information is not available.
Electrical Power Production (Cost)
asked the Minister of Transport whether he will give comparative figures of the cost of production of electrical power as between anthracite and small coals?
Comparative figures do not exist since, so far as I am aware, anthracite is being used in one public supply station only, which has been working only for a short period.
India (Civil Disobedience Convictions)
asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of political prisoners in India who have been incarcerated for more than five years, and the number who have been released during the last 12 months?
As I informed the hon. Member on the 4th May no person convicted of offences connected with the civil disobedience movement has been in prison for five years. The number of persons convicted of such offences who were in prison on the 1st March, 1935, was 52, and the number on the same date in 1936 was five.
Metropolitan Police (Suspensions)
asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the number of police officers that have been suspended during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date in the Metropolitan Police district; the number of these officers that have appealed to him; and with what result?
Of the 71 members of the Metropolitan Police Force who were suspended from duty during the year ended 30th April, 1936, 27 were dismissed or required to resign as an alternative to dismissal. Three of these cases have not yet been finally dealt with by the commissioner, and, of the remaining 24, three appealed to me under the Police (Appeals) Act, 1927. The three appeals were dismissed.
Sudan And Abyssinia
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the portion of Abyssinia which has hitherto been leased to the Sudan Government is still controlled and managed by the Sudan authorities; and whether the Government proposes to modify its policy in respect of this lease?
The answer to the first part of the question is Yes, Sir. No change is contemplated at present.
Fishing Industry, Scotland
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the annoyance caused to the Cockenzie fishing fleet by the continuous playing on them of the searchlight of the fishery board cruiser "Fidra"; and whether he will take steps to see that such interference with their lawful occupation is discontinued?
It is necessary to use the searchlight in order to enable the cruiser to avoid crossing and damaging nets and to carry out her proper patrol duties in the interests of the fishermen. I am informed that the searchlight was used only for these purposes and not in the manner suggested in the question. Where, however, there are several hundred boats working in a confined area it is difficult to avoid occasionally causing inconvenience. No complaint of annoyance was made to the Commander of the "Fidra." Special inquiries have been made in Cockenzie and Port Seton by the Marine Superintendent of the Fishery Board. These disclosed little foundation for complaint, and I hope, will lead to the removal of misunderstandings. Every effort will be made to avoid causing inconvenience with the searchlight.