37
51
Written Answers
HOUSE OF COMMONS
required by white and coloured people in Southern Rhodesia to obtain old age pen- sions?
Written Answers
52
Mr. Lindsay: During the period from Ist January to 31st October, 1938, the Board have recognised for grant 14 nursery schools with accommodation for 1,050 children. Southern
Mr. M. MacDonald: The old age pen- sions scheme in force in Rhodesia is not contributory. Pensions are payable under it to white and to coloured British subjects who have attained the age of 60 and are perma- nently resident in the Colony. Pensions may be granted up to £48 a year in the case of a white person and up to £24 in the case of a coloured person, subject in each case to a means test.
TRANSPORT (BRESSEY REPORT).
Colonel Sandeman Allen asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made towards the summoning of a conference of the local authorities which will be concerned in the schemes for new roads in Greater London suggested in the Report of Sir Charles Bressey?
Mr. Burgin: At present I cannot use- fully add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Lewisham (Sir P. Dawson) on 20th July, 1938, of which I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend
a copy.
CEYLON.
Mr. T. Smith asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is in a position to make a statement with re- gard to the representations made for changes in the constitution of Ceylon?
Mr. M. MacDonald: I had an oppor- tunity of discussing this question with the Governor of Ceylon during his recent visit to this country, as well as with a number of leading Ceylonese who have been in London in recent weeks. The Governor has now returned, but I am not yet in a position to make any statement in the matter.
EDUCATION.
NURSERY SCHOOLS.
Mr. Lyons asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what progress has taken place up to date in the further establishment of nursery schools this year; and what is the situation and number of such now recognised by the Board of Education?
Two nursery schools were closed, making a net increase of 12 nursery schools with accommodation for 954 children. In addition, 14 proposals for new nursery schools were approved in principle, and increased accommoda- tion was provided at four existing schools. I am sending my hon. and learned Friend a copy of the Board's List 42 showing the location of the 106 nursery schools recognised on 31st October, 1938.
SIZE OF CLASSES.
Mr. Lyons asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will indicate the recent pro- gress made in the reduction of the size of those school classes where the number of pupils exceeded 40 in each class?
Mr. Lindsay: On 31st March, 1938, the latest date for which figures are avail- able, the number of classes in public elementary schools in England and Wales with more than 40 children on the roll was 44,582 as compared with 46,193 on 31st March, 1937.
UNEMPLOYMENT,
INSURANCE (INcome Limit),
Captain Plugge asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to make any further statement with regard to action which it is intended to take to raise the income limits so far as qualification to participate in unemploy- ment insurance schemes is concerned?
Mr. E. Brown: No, Sir.
LEICESTER (STATISTICS).
Mr. Lyons asked the Minister of Labour whether he will indicate the course of em- ployment in the city of Leicester by industries, numbers, and percentages for the months of August, September, and October, 1938?
Mr. E. Brown: The table below shows, for the area served by the Leicester Em- ployment Exchange and Juvenile Employ- ment Bureau (a) the numbers of insured persons, aged 16-64 years recorded as un- employed in the principal industries at
53
I NOVEMBER 1938
Written Answers
15th August and 12th September, 1938, and (b) these numbers expressed as per- centages of the estimated numbers in-
Building
Written Answers
54
sured at July, 1937. Corresponding figures for October, 1938, are not yet available.
15th August, 1938.
12th September, 1938.
Number. 851
Per cent.
10.2
Number.
749
Per cent.
9.0
General Engineering, etc.
412
3-3
389
3.I
Printing, Publishing and Bookbinding Hosiery
158
4.2
151
4.0
3,140
9.3
2,694
8.0
Boots, Shoes, etc.
3,199
15.8
2,455
12.2
1,057
6.7
1,091
7.0
4,008
IO. I
3,528
8.9
12,825
9.6
I1,057
8.3
Distributive Trades.
All other Industries and Services
Total all Industries and Services
Note.--The figures given in the table above are exclusive of insured persons within the agricul tural scheme; the numbers of such persons, aged 16-64, recorded as unemployed at the Leicester Employment Exchange at 15th August and 12th September, 1938, were 108 and 91, respectively.
CIVIL AVIATION. RAILWAY AGENCIES (BOOKING). Mr. Lyons asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the ban on advance book- ing in railway agencies has been now en- tirely removed from all air services?
Captain Balfour: Booking facilities at railway agencies are now available for all existing air services with the exception of those between this country and Eire. The question of booking facilities for the latter services is closely bound up with the general question of future air com- munications between Great Britain and Eire, on which negotiations are at present proceeding satisfactorily between the parties concerned and will, I hope, result in the removal of this last restriction in the not distant future.
AIRPORTS, LONDON.
Mr. Lyons asked the Secretary of State for Air what plans are now in contempla
tion for the establishment of a central air- port for London?
Captain Balfour: The establishment of a central airport for London is not in con- templation. It is not considered practic able to handle the whole of the existing, and likely future, London air traffic from a single airport. The intention is that this traffic should be handled from main aerodromes on suitable sites in a belt round London and this policy is in accord with the recommendations of the Maybury Committee.
CIVIL AIR GUARD.
Mr. Mander asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will state the results up-to-date of the appeal for membership in the new Civil Air Guard?
Captain Balfour: My right hon. Friend's appeal for the Civil Air Guard met with a very gratifying response: 33,886 appli- cations were received by the light aero- plane clubs operating the flying sections up to 15th October. Since that date, it has been found necessary
divert applications from the clubs to the Com- missioners of the Civil Air Guard, and a further 1,100 applications have been received and recorded by the Commis- sioners.
to
Statistics indicate that probably about half the total number of applicants will finally be accepted as suitable for flying training. At the present time some 4,000 members have been enrolled for imme- diate flying, and the Commissioners, in co-operation with my Department, are preparing schemes for ground training for those awaiting flying tuition.
Fifty-seven out of 59 subsidised light aeroplane clubs are participating in the scheme while four new clubs have been
approved, and consideration is also being given to applications from five other clubs.
CHINA AND JAPAN.
Mr. Morgan asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government, in order to expedite the return of tran- quillity in the Far East with the resultant
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.