Written Answers To Questions
Italy (Sicily, Separation Movement)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the existence of a movement to separate Sicily from the rest of Italy; and whether he will indicate the views of His Majesty's Government on this subject.
I am aware that such a movement exists and is active at the present time. It has also come to my knowledge that this movement is alleged to have the support of the Allies. I am glad, therefore, to take this opportunity of stating that as far as His Majesty's Government are concerned, all rumours to this effect are entirely without foundation.
Royal Air Force (Overseas Personnel, Reposting)
asked the Secretary of State for Air whether it is intended that R.A.F. personnel who have returned to this country after a period of service overseas will, if again sent overseas, be sent to a European theatre of war, as is the case with Army personnel, and not to one outside Europe.
I cannot give any general undertaking, but, subject to the exigencies of service, R.A.F. officers and airmen who have completed a full tour of duty in the Middle East or Far East are not normally posted for a second tour in those theatres unless they are volunteers.
Coal Industry (Employees, Statistics)
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will make a statement indicating the number of persons employed in the industry below and above the status of colliery undermanagers in 1938 and at the present time; and whether the number of officials above undermanagers has increased since 1938.
, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th October, 1944; Vol. 403, C. 2200] supplied the following statement:The following table gives the information so far as it is available:
| Employment at Coal Mines in Great Britain. | ||
| — | End of Dec.,1938. | End of Dec.,1943. |
| 1. Number of wage-earners on colliery books. | 771,161 | 696,752 |
| 2. Number of clerks and salaried persons employed.* | 15,885 | 13,258 |
| Number of Colliery Agents | 323 | 375 |
| Number of Agents who also act as Colliery Managers. | 93 | 86 |
| Number of Colliery Managers. | 967 | 912 |
| Number of Colliery Under-Managers. | 1,181 | 1,137 |
| Total | 2,564 | 2,510 |
| * Including all persons ordinarily employed in, and in connection with the management of the mines, or in and about its offices (e.g,, Surveyors, Under-Managers, and Draughtsmen. Weigh Clerks, Despatch Clerks, Timekeepers and Storekeepers). | ||
Social Insurance (Friendly Society Funeral Benefits)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent provision of funeral benefit for adult membership exists among registered friendly societies; whether the Government intend that when their scheme of Social Insurance comes into operation under which, vide paragraphs 132-3 of the White Paper, a funeral benefit of from £10 to £20 is to become payable on the death of adults, every registered friendly society should be required to release its members from continuing their present funeral insurance contracts and to pay a surrender value in respect thereof, or that members and their societies shall be free to continue such contracts and to enter into fresh contracts with new members for funeral benefit independent of the Government scheme.
The provision of funeral benefit for adult membership is practically universal among registered friendly societies. As regards the second part of the question, there is no intention of limiting the freedom of friendly societies and their members to continue existing contracts, or to enter into new contracts on the life of the insuring member. As regards new contracts on the life of another, I am not in a position to add to paragraph 136 of the White Paper.
Scientific Research (Tax Allowances)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he yet has any information as to what extent industry and agriculture, respectively, are taking advantage of the freedom from taxation under the Finance Act of 1944 of all types of expenditure upon scientific research; and whether he is satisfied that farmers and industrialists are fully aware of the extent and nature of these concessions and of the importance of extending as soon as possible their own research programmes or those of the research associations or institutions to which they can subscribe.
The provisions of Part IV of the Finance Act, 1944, do not become operative until a day to be determined hereafter by Parliament, but I have no reason to suppose that farmers and in- dustrialists are not fully aware of the allowances that will be available to them under those provisions.
India (Troops, Parcels)
asked the Secretary of State for India what steps he has taken to deal with complaints that a substantial proportion of the cigarettes and tobacco sent from Britain to men serving in India fail to arrive.
I have recently received complaints on this subject and am making inquiries.
Ex-Servicemen (Benevolent Organisations)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of benevolent organisations, excluding regimental and town funds, formed to assist ex-Servicemen after the war, and indicating, where possible, the scope of such organisations.
, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th October, 1944; Vol. 403, c. 2680] supplied the following statement:The following list gives the information I have obtained from the Charity Commissioners:
Name of Charity and Objects
St. Dunstan's—Training, settlement and aftercare of blinded ex-Servicemen.
Haig Homes—Houses and flats for married ex-Servicemen, etc.
Housing Association for Officers' Families. Earl Haig Appeal Fund (British Legion)—
Assistance of men who have served in H.M. Forces, etc.
United Services Fund—Benefit of ex-Servicemen who served in the Army or R.A.F. and their dependants.
Officers' Association—Assist disabled and help to find employment, etc.
Ex-Services' Welfare Society—Treat (and train where necessary) all ranks, etc., suffering from neurasthenia and mental breakdown. Recuperative homes, etc. Training, advice, after-care.
Joint War Committee of the B.R.C.S. and Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Royal Naval Benevolent Trust—(1) Relief to those who have served or are serving in R.N., Royal Marines, R.N.R. and R.N.V.R. (2) Training for civil occupations and assistance in obtaining employment. (3) Assisting families, etc.
Corps of Commissionaires—Employment.
Incorporated Soldiers' and Sailors' Help Society and Lord Roberts Memorial Fund for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors—Advice,etc., convalescent homes, etc., instruction. King's Roll Clerks' Association Ltd.—Provide and obtain employment.
National Association for the Employment of Regular Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen—As title.
Towse Ex-Service Fund—All blind ex-Servicemen, other than war-blinded, etc.
St. David's Home for Totally Disabled Sailors and Soldiers—Reception and maintenance of totally disabled incurable ex-Servicemen.
Star and Garter Home for Disabled Sailors and Soldiers—Care and treatment.
Royal Hospital Chelsea—Assistance and support to worn-out wounded, disabled and time-expired soldiers.
Kinloch Bequest—Pensions to a small number of Scottish soldiers and sailors.
Crusaders of St. George—Houses for totally disabled ex-Service officers and men who are in need of asistance, etc.
Deafened Ex-Servicemen's Fund of the National Benevolent Society for the Deaf—Advise deafened men.
Debt of Honour Fund—Aid in re-settlement in civil life of ex-members of H.M. Forces.
Disabled Soldiers' Embroidery Industry (The Friends of the Poor Incorporated)—Teach embroidery to disabled ex-Servicemen who are too disabled to take up employment outside their own homes and to keep them supplied with work, etc.
Queen Mary's (Roehampton) Hospital—Treatment, artificial limbs, etc.
R.A.F. Benevolent Fund.
Royal Air Forces Association—Advice, assistance with regard to pensions, employment, business and financial problems, etc.
St. Martin's Association—Advise, assist limbless ex-Servicemen in matters concerning pensions, allowances, artificial limbs, housing problems, employment, etc.
The Village Centres for Curative Treatment and Training Council (Incorporated)—Treatment, training, etc.
War Relief Toy Works—Employment, etc. Army Benevolent Fund.
Education
Evacuation (London Teachers)
asked the Minister of Education whether it is with his approval that 1,000 L.C.C. elementary schoolteachers are to be ordered to provincial districts when London children are evacuated because an insufficient number of teachers have volunteered for duty in the reception areas; by what means this compulsion would be enforced; whether he has sought the co-operation of the Minister of Labour; and whether any monetary compensation is to be offered.
I understand that further interviews are being held with L.C.C. teachers at which they will be given a further opportunity to volunteer for service in the reception areas. If these efforts to secure volunteers are unsuccessful, powers under Defence Regulation 58A will be used to direct individual teachers to work in reception areas to which London children have been evacuated. The same evacuation allowances will be payable to these teachers as to those who volunteer for evacuation.
Teachers' Training Scheme
asked the Minister of Education whether he will secure the release from war service of qualified teachers before diluting the skilled labour of this profession with semi-skilled or unskilled recruits; what machinery is to be provided to select such recruits; who is to be responsible for their selection; and whether any principles of guidance in that selection will be published by him.
It is not yet possible to make any statement as to the release from the Forces of teachers or other occupational groups under the scheme for the re-allocation of man-power between the Forces and civilian employment. I hope very shortly to announce proposals for selecting candidates for training for the teaching profession under the emergency scheme which is being prepared for men and women released from National Service. Neither I, nor to the best of my belief, the teachers' representatives, could accept the suggestion that this scheme will lead to the incorporation of unskilled and semi-skilled recruits in the teaching profession.
Teachers' Pensions
asked the Minister of Education whehter it is proposed to increase pensions payable to teachers who have retired.
I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1944, which makes provision for the increase of certain pensions payable to teachers who have retired.
Catering Wages Commission (Secretary)
asked the Minister of Labour when the secretary to the Catering Wages Commission was appointed; and when he relinquished his appointment as private secretary to the Minister.
The secretary to the Catering Wages Commission was appointed to that post as from 11th September, 1944; he relinquished his appointment as private secretary to the Minister on 21st July, IN+ on being promoted.
Utility Wool Cloth (Girls' Hats)
asked the President of the Board of Trade on what, grounds he recently issued an order prohibiting the manufacture of all girls' utility hats and caps from woven woollen cloth unless an overcoat to match, not exceeding 28 inches long, is supplied with each article; and what representations have been submitted to him, asking for a variation of the regulations.
Utility wool cloth must, in general, be reserved for garments, including "matching sets" of hats and coats. But henceforward permission will also be given to any manufacturer who has a quota for girls' hats and who specialises in cloth hats to use utility wool cloth for this purpose, provided that the prices have been approved. Representations on this matter were recently made to the Board of Trade by one of the textile trade organisations and this decision has been conveyed to them.