§ 46. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Prime Minister which of the functions of 980 the Mines Department will be transferred to the Home Office, the Ministry of Health, or the Board of Trade; and whether any of its functions will be transferred to any other departments?
§ 47. Mr. ALLEN PARKINSONasked the Prime Minister whether the present staff of the Mines Department will be retained intact or whether it will be distributed among other Government Departments; and, in either case, whether or not it will be reduced in number?
§ 51. Mr. POTTSasked the Prime Minister to state at what date he proposes to begin the transfer of the functions of the Mines Department to other Departments?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI shall answer these questions together. I can add nothing to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for North Tottenham on the 26th April.
§ Mr. BATEYIs the Prime Minister clear that the former question did not deal with the transfer of the Mines Department to several other Departments?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer is equally applicable to all the Departments.
§ Mr. BATEYBut what we want to know is, is it the intention of the Government to transfer the whole of the Mines Department to one other Department, or to break it up?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, I quite understand. That is one of the points which is being considered, and whatever conclusion is reached—and no conclusion has been reached yet—will have to be embodied in a Bill.
§ Mr. PALINGCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether all the functions now performed by the Mines. Department will still continue to be performed, even though the Department may be broken up?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat, again, is one of the things which is now being examined.
§ Mr. R. MORRISONCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Bill is likely to be introduced before August?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThere is no chance of that at all.
§ 50. Sir ARTHUR SHIRLEY BENNasked the Prime Minister whether he has received a communication from the President of the British Association of Chambers of Commerce, dated 7th April, in which was embodied a series of reasons supporting the plea that the Department of Overseas Trade should be continued on the basis of its existing organisation; and if, before any action is taken by His Majesty's Government, he will receive a deputation from the association, who will submit further arguments in support of the president's letter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, Sir. I have had this communication and have asked my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to receive the deputation.
§ Sir A. BENNWill the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration, in making up his mind on this subject, the injury to the expansion of our overseas trade which a great many of those who are interested in it believe will occur if the Overseas Trade Department is abolished?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat point will be put before my right hon. Friend by the deputation.
§ Mr. PALINGMay we take it that he will be equally willing to receive another influential deputation against the abolition of the Mines Department?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not think we have been asked that.