Written Answers To Questions
Tuesday, 22nd June, 1954
National Service Men (Training)
1.
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will now take steps to ensure that National Service men are not used for garrison duties, but are devoted to the training for which National Service is intended.
Command Paper 8026, issued in August, 1950, stated that the objects of National Service were to build up our trained reserves and to supplement Regulars in carrying out our commitments. The objects remain the same.
War Office Staff (Regimental Duty)
7.
asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers and other ranks have been released for return to regimental duty as a result of the increase in the civil staff of the War Office.
Over the past year both military and civilian staffs in the War Office have been reduced. The form of the routine statistics makes it somewhat complicated to arrive at the relevant figures in and outside the War Office, but in the year ending 1st April, 1954, 134 officers and 82 other ranks in my Department were replaced by civilians.
National Finance
Transport Levy (Woolwich Council Protest)
35.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reply he has sent to the protest of the Woolwich Borough Council against the increased costs to the council arising from the transport levy and what action he proposes to take.
The Council's letter of 4th June was acknowledged on receipt. The Council will by now have received a further reply to the effect that the letter raises no fresh considerations and. therefore, gives no grounds for action.
British Films (Tax Relief)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the liquidation of the British Lion Film Corporation and the danger of a decline in British film production, he will now reconsider proposals to introduce discriminatory reliefs from entertainments tax in favour of the exhibition of British films.
No. As my right hon. Friend explained in reply to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, East (Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu) on 8th April last. I consider that the limited amount of Entertainments Duty relief which can be afforded this year is best given in the way f proposed in my Budget statement.
Coronation Procession Viewing (Government Staffs)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the number of Government-paid staff receiving salaries of £2,000 or above, both Service and civilian, who watched the Coronation Procession from Government temporary stand accommodation without payment.
Civil servants received a free seat on a stand only if they were on duty on a stand. Records showing the ranks of those on duty are no longer available. I cannot reply for Service personnel.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the number of Government-paid staff and employees, both Service and civilian, who watched the Coronation Procession from Government accommodation, together with the approximate number of such individuals receiving salaries of £2,000 or above.
Civil servants were allowed to ballot for places in Government accommodation. Records showing the names of civil servants who were allocated places in these ballots are no longer available. The Service Departments made their own arrangements for Service personnel.
asked the Minister of Works how much Government accommodation was made available to Government staff and employees, both Service and civilian, for the purpose of watching the Coronation Procession.
Government buildings along the route of the Procession were generally at the disposal of the occupying Departments, and about 10,000 people obtained a view from them.
asked the Minister of Works how much temporary stand accommodation was made available to Government staff and employees, both Service and civilian, for the purpose of watching the Coronation Procession without payment.
Servants of the Crown on duty on temporary stands for the Coronation Procession were given one free seat each. No servant of the Crown not on duty was given a free seat.
Local Government Reorganisation
50.
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the reorganisation of local government.
No. My right hon. Friend does not expect to be in a position to make a statement during the present Session.
Ministry Of Works
Staff, Palace Of Westminster (Pay)
53.
asked the Minister of Works how many of his staff employed in the Palace of Westminster have not received any increase in their salaries or wages since 1946.
None.
Cement Supplies, South Wales
54.
asked the Minister of Works to what extent demand for cement in South Wales is outstripping supply.
55.
asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that there is up to six weeks' delay in the delivery of cement in South Wales; and if he will arrange for imports from the Continent.
56.
asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the shortage of cement in the South Wales area; and what steps he is taking to improve the supply.
The peak of the building season has brought demands for cement in South Wales which, here and there, have outstripped supplies. I have asked the cement industry to do what is possible to improve deliveries in South Wales without causing shortages elsewhere. With production running at record levels I hope that these local difficulties will be of short duration.
Employment
Falkirk
57.
asked the Minister of Labour the figures of unemployment and under-employment, respectively, in the Falkirk area, expressed as percentages of the insured population.
Percentage rates cannot be furnished separately for Falkirk but only for the Falkirk, Grangemouth and Bonnybridge areas combined. At those employment exchanges the percentage wholly unemployed on 10th May, was 3·0 per cent., and the percentage temporarily stopped on that day was 2·0 per cent. The latter figure represents persons who were not at work on Monday. 10th May. It does not cover persons who were at work on that day, but were stood off on other days of the week.
Stirling
asked the Minister of Labour for how many men and women, respectively, redundant because of the closing of the British-American Tobacco factory in Stirling, alternative employment has now been found; and how many remain without early prospect of alternative employment.
Thirty-one male and 100 female workers formerly employed at the factory have so far been placed in, or found, other employment. Eleven males and 55 females remain registered at the local employment exchange. Prospects of finding work for the males are good. Prospects for the females are less promising, but the employment exchange is making every effort to place them in suitable employment.
Catering Wages Boards
asked the Minister of Labour how a catering wages board or a wages council is constituted; what procedure is required to be adopted by such a board or council before submitting wages proposals to him; and what recourse is had when proposals are submitted to him.
A catering wages board or a wages council is constituted of not more than three independent members, one of whom is chairman, and members in equal numbers representing employers and workers in relation to whom the board or council operates. Before appointing an employers' or workers' representative the Minister is required to consult any organisations appearing to him to represent employers or workers concerned. Before submitting proposals to the Minister for the making of an order a catering wages board or a wages council is required to publish its proposals and to allow a period of not less than 21 days in the case of a catering wages board or 14 days in the case of a wages council within which written representations may be sent to the board or council.The board or council is required to consider any written representations made to it within the specified period and it may then submit the proposals to the Minister either without amendment or with such amendments as it thinks fit having regard to the representations. When the Minister receives proposals duly submitted to him he is required to make an order giving effect to the proposals, but he may refer the proposals back to the board or council, in which event the board or council is required to reconsider its proposals having regard to any observations made by the Minister and may re-submit the proposals to the Minister either without amendment or with such amendments as it thinks fit having regard to those observations. The Minister cannot amend the proposals or approve them in part.
asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the Tenth Annual Report of the Catering Wages Commission, he will take steps to disband the commission and so allow caterers freedom to arrange conditions of service with those whom they wish to employ.
No. Although, in the the Report referred to, the Commission draw attention to certain limitations of the Catering Wages Act, 1943, they make no suggestion that conditions of service in the catering industry should cease to be governed by wages orders based on proposals made to my right hon. and learned Friend by the wages boards which have been established on their recommendation.
Heavy Goods Vehicles (Speed Limit)
60.
asked the Minister of Labour what was the date of the last formal consultation between himself or any authorised official of his Department with the trade unions with regard to the proposed raising of the heavy goods speed limit from 20 to 30 miles-per-hour.
There have been no formal consultations recently between my right hon. and learned Friend or officers of my Department and the trade unions on this subject, and I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend gave to the hon. Member for Southall (Mr. Pargiter) on 29th April last.
Scotland
Light Castings Industry, Falkirk Area
61.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has now had, and what steps he has now taken, to find means of improving the position in the light castings industry in the Falkirk-Bonnybridge area.
I am in close touch with my colleagues who are concerned with this problem and it has also been considered by the Scottish Board for Industry.The light castings industry has benefited from the Government's greatly expanded programme of new house building. and will be helped by their measures to stimulate the repair and rehabilitation of older properties and by the Coal Utilisation Council's campaign for the adoption of fuel-saving appliances.The export problems of the industry are, of course, a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, and he continues to take whatever action is possible to help the industry in this field.
Gardens (Straying Sheep)
62.
asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that owners of gardens suffering the depredations of straying sheep have no remedy other than to detain the animal and claim damages under the Winter Herding Act of the Second Session of the Scottish Parliament in the reign of King James VII, which imposes on the sheepowner a fine of half a mark per straying sheep; and if he will introduce legislation to amend these provisions.
I have not yet completed my inquiries into this matter, but I shall communicate with my hon. Friend whenever I am in a position to do so.
Colonial Territories (Service Men's Trials)
64.
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what conditions govern the trying of cases involving Service men in Colonial Territories by civilian as distinct from Service courts; if be has considered evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool Exchange; and if he will introduce legislation to ensure that all such cases are tried by Service courts in future.
A person subject to Service law is not for that reason immune from trial by civil courts, whether in the U.K. or in the Colonies, for civil offences committed within their jurisdiction. This is expressly confirmed by the Acts governing the three Services. There are established arrangements to determine the classes of case which the civil authorities leave to be dealt with by the Service authorities.My right hon. Friend has considered the information sent by the hon. Member, but sees no reason to interfere with the present arrangements.
Geneva Conference
65.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now make a full statement on the Geneva Conference.
I would ask the hon. Member to await the debate tomorrow.
Chinese Charge D'affaires, London (Facilities)
66.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what facilities are to be granted to representatives from the Communist Government of China sent to this country, in view of the fact that the Chinese Government has repeatedly refused to have dealings with our representatives in Peking.
The Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London will have the same facilities as Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking.
Water Supplies (Fluoridation)
asked the Minister of Health whether, before starting a study of fluoridation of water supplies of selected communities, he will obtain base-line information on the incidence of dental caries in children and adults in the selected communities and in comparable communities that can be used as controls; whether he will carry out the suggestions of the mission to the United States of America to determine the present level of ingestion of fluoride by making a survey of fluoride excretion in the urine of representative children and adults of all age groups throughout the country; whether adequate supplies of fluorides in the most suitable form are available; whether machinery has been developed which is considered necessary by the British Mission for the controlled addition of fluorides to water supplies so that there may be adequate safeguards against errors in dosage and any undue exposure of the operating personnel to the materials handled and whether, in asking the Norwich Council to carry out a preliminary project of fluoridation of water supplies, an undertaking was given that the preliminary investigations suggested by the British Mission would be carried out.
I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3rd June to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Clackmannan and East Stirling (Mr. Woodburn) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.On the last part of the Question, the Norwich Council was aware of the investigations proposed.
Killed Service Men, Kenya (Widows' Pensions)
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give an assurance that under his regulations the widows of men killed while serving during the Kenya emergency will receive the full war pension.
Widows of members of the United Kingdom Armed Forces who are killed in the operations in Kenya are fully covered by the Royal Warrant