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HOUSE OF COMMONS
[Mr. Day.] shipping in the case of a national emer- gency which would seriously affect food and other supplies of great importance to this country, he will consider moving to appoint a Select Committee to discuss the advantages as a whole of the construction of a Channel tunnel, which, in addition to the labour and material required, would also increase the productive em- ployment in this country?
The Prime Minister: The view of His Majesty's Government is that nothing has occurred since the issue of the White Paper in June, 1930, to cause them to modify the attitude then adopted in rela- tion to the Channel tunnel. The answer to the question is, therefore, in the negative.
Mr. Day: Can the right hon. Gentle- man say whether this question is being considered by the Committee of Imperial Defence?
The Prime Minister: No, Sir.
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF
INDUSTRY.
47. Mr. J. Griffiths asked the Prime Minister when the report of the Royal Commission on the geographical distribu- tion of industry will be issued?
The Prime Minister: I am afraid that the Commission are not yet in a position to say when their report will be ready.
Mr. Lawson: Can the Prime Minister suggest to the chairman the advisability of publishing an interim report of the Commission, in view of the relations of the subject with which they are dealing to many questions of vital importance to the nation?
The Prime Minister: I think it would probably be better to wait until the chair- man is in a position to issue a report on the whole subject.
Mr. Lawson: Has the Prime Minister any knowledge how long this Commission will be before it reports? It has been sitting a long time and the matter is of very great importance.
The Prime Minister: I appreciate that, but I have said at various times that I do not think the report of a Commission
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on so complicated a subject can be ex- pected very early. I am, however, hopeful that it will not be very long de- layed now.
Mr. Maequisten: Will the Prime Minis- ter call the attention of the Commission to the shackles that have been imposed upon road transport, which would soon redistribute itself it we had good, decent roads?
49. Mr. Lees-Jones asked the Prime Minister whether the Royal Commission on the geographical distribution of the in- dustrial population has considered, in the national interest, the question of the evacuation of the overcrowded industrial undertakings in Greater London; and, if not, in view of recent events, will steps be taken to add this to the Royal Com- mission's terms of reference?
The Prime Minister: The strategical aspects of the concentration of industry and the industrial population in Greater London are within the terms of reference of the Royal Commission, but I do not consider that arrangements for evacua- tion should be brought within their scope.
FOOTBALL POOLS.
48. Mr. R. C. Morrison asked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the rapid growth of foot- ball pools; whether, in view of the large amount of money invested by the public in small weekly sums and the doubts existing as to the relation of the prize money to the amount invested, he will set up a committee of inquiry to investigate their working and report whether State supervision is necessary?
Sir S. Hoare: I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. V. Adams) on 17th February.
Mr. Morrison: May I take it that the right hon. Gentleman does not intend to take any notice of the many representa- tions from business interests that have been directed to the Government in con- nection with this matter?
Sir S. Hoare: The issue raises the whole question of off-the-course betting, and I do not think that it can be dealt with
separately from the bigger problem. I do not at present see any opportunity for legislation of that kind.
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1 NOVEMBER 1938
Oral Answers Viscountess Astor: Is it not true that Defence at the first convenient oppor- when the last Betting Bill came before tunity in the new Session of Parliament. the House of Commons the Government I would ask hon. Members to await this had at one time thought of dealing with statement, which will deal comprehen- football pools? If that be true, why can- sively with the steps which His Majesty's not they do that now, seeing the terrific Government have taken and are taking amount of waste that is going on?
in regard to Defence matters generally.
Sir S. Hoare: The proposal met with very great opposition. It was either de- feated or withdrawn.
Mr. McGovern: Seeing that there is such efficiency of organisation in regard to these football pools, will the right hon. Gentleman consider getting the promoters of these pools to run the arms industry?
57. Mr.
R. C. Morrison asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give any information as to the profits of football pools and the amount of Income Tax received from same?
The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon): I regret that I cannot furnish any information regarding the profits as assessed to Income Tax of the particular concerns to which the hon. Member refers.
DEFENCE.
50. Mr. Cary asked the Prime Minister whether he will give the House more specific information in regard to the serious gaps which have been shown to exist in our defences and the nature of the steps which have been taken to re- pair such deficiencies; and, further, whether His Majesty's Government has received assurances from the trade unions in Great Britain and from all the Dominion governments oversea that they are prepared to co-operate to the limit of their capacity in bringing our system of defences to a satisfactory point with the least possible delay?
51. Miss Ward asked the Prime
Minister whether he is aware that there are responsible industrial companies who feel that full advantage has not been taken of their willingness to co-operate in the rearmament programme; and whether he will consider taking immediate steps to set up a liaison committee of indus- trialists whose business it would be to receive offers of co-operation and relate these offers to the needs of the Defence Departments?
The Prime Minister: It is proposed that a full statement should be made on
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Mr. Cary: Will my right hon. Friend consider the advisability of issuing a White Paper on Defence to coincide with the Debate on the Address?
The Prime Minister: I will think about that.
Mr. Garro Jones: Can the Prime Minister assure the House that any further statement will be more ingenuous and ex- plicit than past White Papers on Defence have been?
71. Mr. Shinwell asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he is satisfied that the Service Departments are adequately prepared to defend our commitments at home and abroad?
The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas Inskip): I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to earlier questions to-day by my hon. Friends the Members for Eccles (Mr. Cary) and Wallsend (Miss Ward).
IRELAND.
52. Mr.
McEntee asked the Prime Minister whether, following upon the steps which he has taken by intervention in Central Europe to remove the griev- ances of the minorities in Czechoslovakia, he will now introduce legislation for the restoration of the unity of Ireland which was taken away under the provisions of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920?
The Prime Minister: I would invite the attention of the hon. Member to the state- ments made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and by myself in the course of the Second Reading of the Eire (Confirmation Agree- ments) Bill, to which I am not in a posi- tion to add.
Sir Ronald Ross: Is not the Prime Minister and everyone else aware that by an overwhelming majority in the recent elections for the Northern Ireland Parlia- ment the people of Northern Ireland demonstrated their determination always to remain part of the United Kingdom?
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