MINING SUBSIDENCE (Hansard, 13 June 1955)

§ 37. Mr. Swingler
asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will introduce legislation to implement in full the recommendations of the Turner Committee on Mining Subsidence.

§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Fuel and Power (Mr. L. W. Joynson-Hicks)
I am afraid that there is no early prospect of such legislation being introduced.

§ Mr. Swingler
Why does not the Minister answer this Question? The Minister was here in the House, on a back seat, a few minutes ago. Is it because the Minister has such a sense of shame that he has paid lip-service to the Turner recommendations for three and a half years and has done absolutely nothing about it? Does not the Parliamentary Secretary agree that if the Minister is unable to produce any better answers than he has produced during the last few years, he had better get out and make room for a Minister who can deal with the problem?

§ Mr. Joynson-Hicks
Both my right hon. Friend and I have replied to the hon. Gentleman on this question over the last three and a half years, and the answers of both of us have always been excellent.

§ Mr. H. Morrison
As the Parliamentary Session is to be longer than was anticipated when the new House was convened and there would appear to be time for this legislation, will the hon. Gentleman state whether it really is a matter of Parliamentary time or whether the Government are not willing to accept the recommendations of the Turner Committee as a matter of policy?

§ Mr. Joynson-Hicks
I will try to help the right hon. Gentleman. It is not at the present stage a question of Parliamentary time. The point is that these problems are exceedingly complex. There are a great many conflicting interests involved, and the matter is under consideration.

§ Mr. Morrison
In view of the fact that this matter has been given consideration, according to my hon. Friend, for three and a half years, is that not long enough even for this Government to come to a conclusion about it?

§ Mr. Joynson-Hicks
I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that it was always under consideration for a considerable time while his Government were in office.

§ Mr. Swingler
The Turner Committee reported more than five years ago, and the first instalment of the Turner Committee's Report was carried out by the Labour Government in the Coal-Mining (Subsidence) Act, 1950. Is the Parliamentary Secretary now saying that the rest of the 267 recommendations are so complicated that this Government cannot deal with them in a matter of over four and a half years?

§ Mr. Joynson-Hicks
This Government have not been considering them for so long as that. As I assured the hon. Gentleman not long ago, we have always considered these matters with the utmost expedition, and I will repeat that assurance now.

§ Mr. Swingler
On a point of order. As I am debarred from raising this matter on the Adjournment, since it concerns legislation, and in view of the shocking answer of the Parliamentary Secretary, I give notice that I will raise this matter in debate as soon as I can.

§ 38. Mr. Swingler
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will make a statement on the problems of local authorities affected by mining subsidence; and what action he will take to assist them.

§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. W. F. Deedes)
My right hon. Friend is examining this problem, but he is not able to make a statement today.

§ Mr. Swingler
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his right hon. Friend, who does not appear to be keen to answer this Question, has been examining this problem for the past six months and promised to visit some districts in which mining subsidence occurs, but apparently has not yet fulfilled that promise? When may we hope that the Minister of Housing and Local Government will mete out any justice to the mining areas?

§ Mr. Deedes
I must correct the hon. Gentleman on one point. My right hon. Friend made a visit, as he promised, before the General Election. I know the hon. Gentleman regards this as an urgent problem; so does my right hon. Friend, and he will provide an answer as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Will the hon. Gentleman explain why it is that when the Government have a favourable answer to make it is left to a senior Minister to make it, and that when it is unfavourable it is left to a Parliamentary Secretary?