Written Answers To Questions
Friday, 16th June, 1950
Colonial Empire (Civil Servants' Visits)
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement showing to what extent officers of his Department stationed in London have visited those parts of the Colonial Empire with which their work is normally connected.
Twenty officers serving in territorial departments of the Colonial Office have visited the areas with which they are at present concerned. One hundred and six officers serving in subject departments (the functions of which extend in their respective spheres over the whole Colonial Empire) have either served in or visited certain Colonial territories. Twenty-three of my advisers, whose functions also extend over the whole Colonial field, have either served in or paid extensive visits to Colonial territories. In addition, a considerable number of officers have visited Colonial territories with which they are not at present dealing but with whose affairs they have been previously connected and may be again in the future.
Agriculture
Home-Grown Wool (Prices)
asked the Minister of Agriculture why he continues to maintain the war-time control of prices for homegrown wool at a point which is today approximately half the world price.
The price paid to producers of home-grown wool is now fixed each year after consultation with the Farmers' Unions of the United Kingdom in the same way as the prices of products to which Part I of the Agriculture Act, 1947, applies. The prices paid to United Kingdom growers are not, therefore, directly related to the prices realised from the sale of the clip.
Farm Income
asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the average farm income in 1949 for farms of 5–25 acres. 25–75 acres, 75–100 acres, 100–150 acres, and over 150 acres, respectively.
For 1948–49 the accounts of 2,458 farms were collected by various University Departments of Agricultural Economics in England and Wales with the following size grouping of results:
| Size of farm | Net farm income per farm | |||
| £ | ||||
| 0- 50 acres | … | … | … | 433 |
| 50–100 acres | … | … | … | 596 |
| 100–150 acres | … | … | … | 778 |
| 150 and over | … | … | … | 1,842 |
Animal Feeding Stuffs
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the reduction in the price of eggs, he will consider the possibility of decontrolling feeding-stuffs.
No. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Woodbridge (Mr. Hare) on 16th March. There has been no change in the supply situation which would justify reconsideration of the decision to continue for the time being the rationing of feedingstuffs for animals.
Ministry Of Pensions
War Widows (Rent Allowance)
asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider restoring to the war widows a rent allowance similar to the rent allowance paid during the war.
The provision for a rent allowance for war widows of "other ranks" with children, introduced with effect from 16th August, 1943 (Cmd. 6459), is still a feature of the pension schemes.
Ex-Service Men's Vehicles (Petrol Duty)
asked the Minister of Pensions what proposals he has to make to compensate disabled ex-Service men who have Ministry of Pensions' vehicles, for the increased Petrol Duty.
I am not yet able to make a statement.
Telephone Service (Birmingham)
asked the Postmaster-General why Messrs. Coleman and Company, 66, Lyndon Road, Olton, Birmingham, have had four major breakdowns in their telephone service during the last six weeks; and why, when they reported that their telephone was out of order at 6.15 p.m. on 11th May, it was not repaired until 10.15 a.m. on 16th May.
These interruptions were caused by cable rearrangements in the neighbourhood, involving the opening of cable joints and cross-connecting of several hundred pairs of wires. In the particular case mentioned, repair was delayed mainly by difficulty in locating the disconnection. I much regret the inconvenience to which the company has been put.