§ 2. Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Secretary for Mines when it is intended to introduce legislation for the nationalisation of mining royalties?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI cannot hold out hope of any such legislation this Session.
§ Sir K. WOODWhy has the hon. Gentleman allowed this unfortunate Measure to be ruled out by the Representation of the People Bill?
§ Mr. SHINWELLThe right hon. Gentleman must address that question somewhere else.
§ 6. Mr. HARDIEasked the Secretary for Mines the total amount of royalties paid on account of coal raised in the county of Linlithgow in the last 10 years and the present rate per ton; and whether any royalty owners in that area have offered to forgo their rights in royalty rents?
§ Mr. SHINWELLI regret that the information in regard to royalties is not available by counties. During the 10 years 1920–25 and 1927–30—particulars for 1926 are not available—the estimated total amount of royalties paid by colliery owners in Scotland wag nearly £9½ millions. The average rate of royalty paid in Scotland in the quarter ended 30th September, 1930, was 5.88d. per ton 1599 of saleable output. So far as I am aware, no royalty owner is Linlithgowshire has offered to forgo his rights in royalty rents.
§ Mr. HARDIEHas the hon. Gentleman not seen in the Press, or anywhere else, that offers are being made by certain owners to forgo the royalties which they are now drawing?
§ Mr. SHINWELLSome statements have appeared in the Press, but I have no information of an official character.