HC Deb 19 July 1938 vol 338 cc2159-61

Motion made, and Question proposed, That the statement of the estimated income and expenditure of Greenwich Hospital and of Travers' Foundation for the year 1938, a copy of which was presented to this House on the 9th day of May, 1938, be approved."—[Colonel Llewellin.]

Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman give us some explanation of the purpose of the Travers' Foundation?

12.21 a.m.

Sir Hugh Seely

There are one or two questions which I should like to put, because certain of the property with which

the Trust is concerned is situated in my constituency. I am anxious to know what may happen to the Scremeston Colliery, near Berwick-on-Tweed. Because of the interest which the Greenwich Hospital authorities have had in this colliery it has been enabled to keep going during periods of bad trade. Four or five years ago there was really great danger that it might not be possible for the colliery to carry on. Now that the Coal Bill has been passed this liability, or asset, has been taken away from the trustees and the Coal Commission will step in, and I wish to know what the future prospects will be, because it was undoubtedly due to the action of the trustees that the men were kept at work in the pits. I should like to feel assured that the same consideration will be shown by the Commission.

Mr. Deputy-Speaker (Captain Bourne)

I hardly think the Minister can answer about that. That deals with a question of policy which has been decided by the House.

Sir H. Seely

I should like to know whether any consideration has been given to the matter by the trustees, who own a great deal of property there, and with conditions changing so much one does not want to see any risk of the place becoming, as it nearly did in 1935, a distressed area. I am not trying to attack Greenwich Hospital, or the Civil Lord, but although the property is no doubt well looked after I think we should have some little information as to what the future position may be.

12.24 a.m.

The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Colonel Llewellin)

To answer first the question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Nuneaton (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher): The Travers' Foundation, which is administered by Greenwich Hospital under the Act of 1892, is an old foundation set up by a Mr. Samuel Travers about 200 years ago and known as the Naval Knights of Windsor, with funds to provide pensions now of £75 a year to retired naval officers and we are budgeting for 29 of those pensions this year. As the hon. Baronet has said, the colliery at Scremeston was more or less saved by the action of the Greenwich Hospital. At any rate, we did put the company on its feet by taking far less royalties than is ordinarily the case. We enabled some 250 men to be employed in the hon. Baronet's constituency. What the Commission will do when it takes over the royalties I do not know; and of course I shall not be responsible for any action of theirs. We are giving the local authority every assistance in getting land, and water facilities. These are in connection with a new housing scheme which, I am glad to say, the local authority is building. With regard to the fire there were some farm buildings which were burned down. I was inspecting this property last October and I saw the actual farm buildings, which have been rebuilt. They are a very good and up-to-date part of what I think is a very well-managed property.

Resolved, That the statement of the estimated income and expenditure of Greenwich Hospital and of Travers' Foundation for the year 1938, a copy of which was presented to this House on the 9th day of May, 1938, be approved.