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HOUSE OF COMMONS
Oral Answers
PRINCES PIER, GREENOCK.
6. Mr. R. Gibson asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that it is proposed to close the Princes Pier, Greenock, which added to the closing of the Caird shipyard would aggravate unemployment and distress in Greenock; and whether he will consider, in collaboration with the President of the Board of Trade, measures to extend the said Princes Pier with a view to making it adequate as a landing stage for trans- Atlantic liners calling at Greenock?
Mr. Colville: I am not aware of any proposal to close the Princes Pier, Greenock, although I understand that the Harbour Trust state that it will require reconstruction if it is to be kept in use. The question of financial assistance to- wards the cost of reconstructing the pier for its present purposes has been the sub- ject of communication between the Harbour Trust and the Commissioner for the Special Areas, who is awaiting definite proposals from the Trust. Conversion of the pier into a landing stage for trans- Atlantic liners is, however, wider question, which would fall to be con- sidered primarily by the Harbour Trust.
a
HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS (ECONOMIC INQUIRY).
7. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Report of the Economic Committee of the
National Development Scottish Council on its investigations in the Isles will be and Highlands of Scotland published?
Mr. Colville: I am informed by the Economic Committee of the Scottish National Development Council that the report of their Highlands and Islands Sub-Committee will be published about the beginning of next month.
Mr. J. J. Davidson: Can the right hon. Gentleman say how long this Committee have been in formulating their report?
Mr. Colville: I could not say exactly without notice.
ORINSAY (ROAD FACILITIES).
8. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the hardships in winter time suffered by the people of Orinsay through having to carry all provisions long distances for lack of a proper road
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and by children on their way to school; and whether he will take action along with the Ross County Council for the reconstruction of the existing pathway to bring it up to modern standards?
Mr. Colville: The condition of the road referred to has been brought to my notice and, I understand, to the notice of the local authority.
If the county council should decide to contribute to the cost of the works and to undertake responsi- bility for their construction and main- tenance, I
to willing consider sympathetically
an application for assistance.
am
Mr. MacMillan: In view of the right hon. Gentleman's willingness to consider this matter sympathetically, and in view of the fact that the county council has repeatedly repudiated responsibility, as well as the Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Transport, will he give some indication that he will take direct action?
Mr. Colville: As the hon. Member knows, the position is that in the first place an application should come from the local authority, but I have given an indication of what my attitude will be in certain events.
HERRING INDUSTRY.
9. Mr. Malcolm MacMillan asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the recent failure of the West Coast herring fishing resulting from the action, at inadequate notice, of the Herring Industry Board in banning curing even for local consump- tion; whether he can state why the board had not anticipated the over-curing on the East Coast and prevented it instead of penalising the West Coast ports; and what steps he proposes to take, by legis- lation or otherwise, to prevent the further collapse of the herring industry in the near future?
Mr. Colville: The prohibition of curing to which the hon. Member refers may have shortened the herring fishing season on the West Coast by two or three weeks, but the season cannot be regarded as a failure. The catch at Stornoway during the summer of this year amounted to approximately 49,000 crans, valued at £91,000. Last year the catch was 31,000 crans, valued at £57,000, and in 1936, 37,000 crans, valued at £67,000. I am
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deal with miners'
I NOVEMBER 1938
mendations to nystagmus, etc.?
Captain Crookshank: I do not think the hon. Lady quite heard my reply. I said the matter which directly concerned me had been dealt with.
Oral Answers
informed that the board's reason for pro- hibiting curing between 29th August and 30th September last was that they were satisfied that the quantity of herring al- ready cured of the kind produced at Stornoway at that time of the year was more than sufficient to meet the demands of the markets, and that, if any further amount had been cured, it would have With been exceedingly difficult to sell. regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Act which has recently been passed for the purpose of amending and extending the powers in the Herring Industry Act, 1935.
Mr. MacMillan: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, while the Herring Industry Board permitted what was ob- viously the over-curing of a very large amount of inferior herring caught on the East Coast, without taking any action to make sure that they were marketable, the board took action penalising the West Coast, where the best herring in the world were being produced?
Mr. Macquisten: Does not this go to show that the Herring Industry Board are doing more harm than good, and should be abolished?
Mr. Colville indicated dissent.
COAL INDUSTRY.
MINERS' NYSTAGMUS.
II. Miss Ward asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can announce any beneficial result from the conversations which have taken place between his De- partment and the Home Office on the subject of miners' nystagmus?
Mines The Secretary for
(Captain Crookshank): I assume that this question arises on the report of the Departmental Committee, which dealt mainly with questions arising under the Workmen's Compensation Acts. That Committee also made recommendations for the improve- ment of mine lighting which directly con- cerned my Department, and this subject has been further dealt with in a circular letter to the coal mining industry sent out on 30th September last. I will send my hon. Friend a copy.
Miss Ward: While thanking my hon. and gallant Friend for that information, may I ask whether conversations are con- tinuing on the subject of other recom-
Mr. George Griffiths: Is it not a fact that these men have been for 10 years looking for some help from the Minister's Department, and that, according to his statement, they are going to get none?
SOUTH WALES AND MONMOUTHSHIRE.
15 and 16. Mr. E. J. Williams asked the Secretary for Mines (1) the output of the
South Wales and Monmouthshire coalfield for the year 1920 and each year to date;
(2) the number of persons engaged in the South Wales and Monmouthshire coal- field for the year 1920 and each year to date?
Captain Crookshank: As these questions involve a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, answer them together by circulating a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
The information is as follows: —
Year.
South Wales and Monmouthshire.
Output of Saleable Coal.
Average number of persons employed in and about coal mines (including Clerks and Salaried Persons).
271,161
1920
Tons. 46,248,967
1921*. 1922
30,572,003
232,043
50,325,094
243,015
1923 ... 54,251,587
252,617
1924 51,085,135
250,065
1925
44,629,522
217,809
1926* 1927
20,272,572
217,753
46,256,363
194,100
1928 43,311,966
168,269
1929
48,149,613
178,315
1930
45,107,912
172,870
1931
37,084,852
158,162
1932
34,874.302
145,709
1933
34,354,884
142,900
1934
35,173,317
139,806
1935
35,025,110
131,697
1936 1937
33,886,179
126,233
37,773,013
135.901
* The majority of the coal mines were idle during a considerable period of the years 1921 and 1926 owing to protracted disputes.
HOLIDAYS WITH PAY.
17. Miss Ward asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will issue a statement showing the terms on which holidays with pay have been granted in the various dis- tricts?
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