HC Deb 05 March 1931 vol 249 cc574-5
81. Sir BERTRAM FALLE

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will explain the circumstances and conditions in which the chairman of the Coal Mines Reorganisation Commission surrendered or commuted pension rights accruing to him; and whether any consideration in his salary of £7,000 a year was accorded to him in return for that surrender or commutation?

82. Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN-DOYLE

asked the Secretary for Mines the amount of pension and cash payment to which the chairman of the Coal Mines Reorganisation Commission prior to his appointment would have been entitled on reaching the age limit?

83. Major LLEWELLIN

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the present chairman of the Coal Mines Reorganisation Commission will, before the age limit has been reached, be permitted at his option to resume duties in the Civil Service with pension rights?

Mr. SHINWELL

All the points raised in these questions will be covered by the statement which, as I indicated in the reply that I gave on Tuesday to the questions asked by the hon. and gallant Members for Gainsborough (Captain Crook-shank) and Epsom (Commander Southby), I propose to make on the Report stage of the Supplementary Estimate Clam VI, Vote 6.

Sir B. FALLE

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that when the question was put down, I was not aware of the statement?

Mr. SHINWELL

I am quite well aware that there are many things of which the hon. Member is not aware. [HON. MEMBERS: "Withdraw!"] If I have said anything to offend the hon. and gallant Member, I will withdraw it unreservedly.

Mr. ERNEST BROWN

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the House is unaware of a number of points about this matter; and could he not, in anticipation of the general statement, give in the OFFICIAL REPORT, so that Members may study it in advance, the actual facts asked for in these three questions seeing that it is necessary to them if the House is to make up its mind adequately about this subject?

Mr. SHINWELL

I understand that the matter is likely to arise later tonight, and in that event no statement could be made as suggested.

Mr. BROWN

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that every one of these questions covers essential facts, and cannot the House be given the facts quite apart from any other adventitious Debate which may arise?

Mr. SHINWELL

I promised last week, when the question upon this matter was raised, to make a statement on the Report stage of the Supplementary Estimate. That matter was withheld, and I have no control over it.

Mr. BROWN

Is it not a fact that before that question was asked no answer was given. Specific questions are now being addressed to the Minister, and why cannot the House be given the answers for which they ask?

Mr. SHINWELL

When I replied in the same sense last week, I understood that a somewhat long and complicated answer, having regard to the nature of the question, would be required, and I assumed that the House agreed with me that it would be better to raise the matter on the Report stage. That is why I have not the information at my disposal now.