HC Deb 02 April 1940 vol 359 cc29-30W
Mr. Liddall

asked the Attorney-General whether he will, for the protection of the public, open at an early date more provincial branches of the Public Trustee's department, and extend the areas of compulsory registration under the land registry, and thereby also be ready to provide, without hurry and at the last moment after demobilisation, clerical employment for demobilised men physically unfitted for heavy work?

Numbers of Public Elementary School Children. London. Manchester. Liverpool. Sheffield. Leeds. Birmingham.
(a) In reception areas (approximate figures). (9th March) 137,000 (18th March) 10,980 (21st March) 16,500 (16th March) 1,550 (16th March) 5,200 (16th March) 14,500
(22nd March) (18th March) (18th March) (18th March) (18th March) (18th March)
(b) In home town receiving:
(1) Full-time Instruction 18,939 27,100 17,654 35,609 85,966
(2) Half-time instruction *63,466 14,176 4,640 15,947 1,009 16,268
(3) Less than half-time instruction. 22,847 563
(4) Home service 70,500 2,824 53,000 25,399 4,680
(5) No instruction 70,500 21,426 26,000 13,182 7,818
Percentages are not given as the figures under (a) and (b) do not all relate to the same date.
* I learn from the London County Council that on 1st April sufficient school accommodation was vailable to provide for the half-time education of approximately 140,000 children.

The Attorney-General

It must be borne in mind that the expenses of both these offices are met from the fees paid by those concerned, and the scale of fees is fixed so as to cover these expenses. My Noble Friend is not satisfied that it would be a sound business transaction to open another provincial branch of the office of the Public Trustee, and the question of any further extension of the compulsory system of land registration must await the coming of more normal times.

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